


The Shattered Pawn

by Serafiend



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Depression, F/M, Gen, Human Experimentation, Mental Health Issues, Multiple Personalities, Self-Doubt, Social Anxiety
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:40:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 63,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29285412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serafiend/pseuds/Serafiend
Summary: After living within the cold walls of the facility, (Y/N) is eventually released and forced to wander the world of remnant. Will he become the hero he always dreamed of? Or will he die being what he always was...A failure.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna & Reader, Blake Belladonna/Reader, Reader/Everyone, Ruby Rose (RWBY) & Reader, Ruby Rose (RWBY)/Reader, Weiss Schnee & Reader, Weiss Schnee/Reader, Yang Xiao Long & Reader, Yang Xiao Long/Reader
Kudos: 12





	1. Abandonned

In the middle of a room sat a mysterious figure holding a red book. The room was mostly made of wood, with a window revealing the dead of night outside. Near him were a couple of pictures. Each of these pictures had different people, most of them with the figure, but all of them showing smiles on their faces.

He sat on the red chair while staring at the book. He wasn't reading it, but purely staring at the cover in wonder. The book had no title, no special features, nothing. It was just blank.

The man looked at the book with a somber gaze. He lifted his arm and wiped away the tears from his eyes. And finally, after taking so long just at the cover, he opened the book and read the first page. 

And then...

He smiled.

“Well, this will be interesting."

* * *

In the middle of his metallic chamber, a boy stared at the ceiling while lying down on his small, twin sized bed. This is (Y/N). Or at least, that's what he thinks his name is. The guards just call him 296.

He just turned ten years old today, and he was now waiting for his yearly checkup. He wore a plain white jumpsuit while three more sets sat next to his bed. And laying on his bed, he looked around his room, using his imagination to pass the time.

From within his cell were a set of books. These books were simple text books, containing knowledge of up to high school Math, English, History, and Science. He also owned a couple of other books, those being basic story and mythological books, but they all sat next to his backpack against the wall. (Y/N) loved to read the amazing stories of heroes, fighting off against evil foes with their might, keeping their morality and empathy through the worst of injustice and always saving the day.

His love of stories led him to his love of swords, choosing them as his signature weapons. He wasn't that good at using them, being much better at using a bow, but he trained daily in hopes of being a hero like in his books. Swords represented courage and power, something he wished to have in the future.

The facility gave (Y/N) these swords because he was the subject of a weapons company named Anvil. They were an organization that created and sold weapons to the different continents of Remnant. They had many branches across the globe, each one working on a different task, unseen to the masses.

This branch's goal was to create super soldiers. Controllable super soldiers. They used children for subjects, capturing and training them to handle their more dangerous experiments. The subjects would then be injected with a serum that would force obedience towards their owner. They were modern day super slaves.

(Y/N) has been a part of this testing for five years now. He's been in this facility for nine years, however, being the youngest person to ever be inside of it. That didn't mean much though.

As (Y/N) looked around once more at his room, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching his cell.

" _Well, let's hope I've gotten better than the last few times,_ " He thought, looking down in sadness.

(Y/N) remembered all of the other years he was examined. You see, even though (Y/N) had been at the facility longer than most others, he was the overall worst subject within all of the children. So he was very nervous about today.

While he may have not been the worst in everything, his education being one of his highest accomplishments within the facility, almost every other child outclassed him. A large amount of the subjects had their abilities honed to the point where they would be equivalent to new recruits within the Atlas. At seven years old.

All except (Y/N), who could barely even carry his swords around.

As (Y/N) waited for his exam, the door to his chamber opened up with a guard standing in front of it. The guard looked around the room, landing his eyes on the boy.

"Subject 296, grab all of your items and follow us to your destination. You have fifteen minutes." The lead guard said, with an extreme level of seriousness.

"Yes sir," (Y/N) replied immediately.

(Y/N) got off his bed and grabbed his swords. He took a long look at them, preparing himself. He needed to get this one right. He needed to make sure he would do good. He needed to not mess this one up as well.

So finally gathering the courage to continue, (Y/N) tried to leave his room, only to be stopped by that same guard.

"I said grab **all** of your items 296," The lead guard said, pointing at the plethora of items with (Y/N)’s room.

(Y/N) looked around the room, confused on why he would need to take everything with him. What's the point? Why would he need all of his useless junk? It was... odd.

"Ok then... Give me a couple of seconds," (Y/N) said, staring at the lead guads eyes with confusion.

(Y/N) went around his room, grabbing every single item to carry with him. Thankfully, his backpack was able to fit his clothes and most of the books, the exceptions being only a few short novels he already read and textbooks he already learned from. (Y/N)'s swords were on his hip, dragging them on the ground to leave space for his arms. This all made (Y/N) feel weighed down, but he wouldn't say that to any of the guards.

So once (Y/N) went back to the door, the room was almost completely cleared out. All that remained was the bed with some sheets and his leftover items.

“Alright. Ready."

The two guards looked at him, not expecting him to be done so quick. But almost immediately after, the lead guard scoffed as he grabbed (Y/N), leaving his room for the last time.

* * *

As the three of them walked away from (Y/N)'s room, they passed by many other chambers along the way. These sleeping blocks consisted of kids between the age group of five to thirteen, with over seventy percent of them being different varieties of fauna because of their innately stronger genetics compared to humans. They were the main test subjects, but they always gave love to the humans as well.

During their walk, (Y/N) tried to spark a conversation between the two others.

"Hey, what are your names?"

"None of your business kid," The lead guard immediately replied, unamused by the child's antics.

"Alright then 'None of Your Business Kid',” (Y/N) quickly responded, knowing he would get nowhere talking with him.

“What's your name then?" He spoke up, facing the other guard while tilting his head.

Hearing the kid's interest, the other guard smiled as he spoke up.

“Oh, the name's Jack! I actually got hired here only a few weeks ago." He replied, chipper at talking with (Y/N).

Hearing Jack's response, (Y/N) couldn't help but crack a joke at that.

"They hire people at this place? How did that go? 'Looking for a guard to help with child experimentation in the middle of nowhere?' What, did they give you free dental?"

Jack started to laugh at the ten year old's behavior, but stopped as soon as he saw his superior glare back at him.

"Well, a job's a job. Even if you hate it...." Jack said, looking down in disappointment as he replied.

(Y/N) paused at that statement, gaining more and more interest towards Jack. It was strange to see someone kind in a place like this. Especially from a guard.

But this was unnoticed from Jack, speaking up to change the subject.

"You know, for a kid, you certainly don't act like one. You act more like a snarky teenager than a small ten year old."

(Y/N)'s mood immediately changed as he heard this, gaining a grin on his face as he spoke.

"Well, Jack, I would have you know that living within a giant facility forcefully testing your capabilities makes you mature much faster than normal. That, or I'm just insane from everything that happened to me. Probably the latter."

Jack snickered as (Y/N) finished and continued the conversation with him about their time at the facility. They talked about the tests, Jack's time with the other guards, (Y/N)'s time with the other kids, and more, trying to have fun during their walk. Something very scarce within this place.

While talking with Jack though, (Y/N) noticed that the path they were taking was different. They were moving away from the usual testing hall. Actually, he's never been down this path before. He had no idea where he was going.

"Um excuse me, 'None of Your Business Kid', can I know what's going on?"

Not wishing to talk to (Y/N), the guard grunted as he spoke up.

"Quiet 296. I'm doing my job. You and Jack should do yours."

"Well technically, it's not my job. I'm only ten," (Y/N) snipped back, annoying the guard.

But the guard continued to ignore him, much to (Y/N)’s chagrin.

"Listen, I'll be quiet as long as you tell me where I'm going. I thought I would get my exam today."

Fed up with how the boy was acting, the guard turned his head back and spoke angrily to him.

"Fine, we are currently transporting you to a new location out of the facility. I have no idea where. Happy?"

And at that point, (Y/N)'s head couldn't fill any more questions in his head.

"Transporting? I didn't even know that could happen in this place. Is that where all the other kids that left have gone to?"

"I thought you would be silent 296."

"Fine fine, whatever." 

He rolled his eyes at the guard's disinterest. He was definitely here for a while. 

"You know, for an adult, you act a lot like my age. Even the other kids act older than you," (Y/N) snapped back, hoping to get a rise out of the old man.

And at that moment, curiosity was sparked within Jack.

"Actually, that reminds me. I noticed that you never really talked with any of the other subjects. Why don't you? You seem nice," Jack questioned, hoping to learn more about (Y/N).

(Y/N) looked back at Jack, not expecting that question in the slightest.

And he definitely didn't want to talk to Jack about it.

"Oh... none of them are my friends,” (Y/N) said, looking down while speaking, “I don't do well with... friends."

Jack: "Really? You seemed to really care about the other kids though. You almost always seemed to hope for the best."

(Y/N) fell silent as Jack spoke, following the guard in front of him while staring at the ground. While (Y/N) didn't make friends with any of the other subjects, he did care a lot about the others. All of the kids were going through troubles, most of the faunus getting it worse than he ever got. (Y/N) sympathized with everyone because of this, but none of them cared.

But while (Y/N) thought about this, the guard stopped in front of him. Wondering why, (Y/N) looked up, trying to spot the reason.

And that's when he saw it.

There they were, standing in front of a large van, with the back doors opened up for him. Inside the van were two more guards, carrying stronger weaponry and armor compared to anyone else within the facility. They both sat at the left side of the van, leaving space for (Y/N) on the right.

"So I'm guessing I'm supposed to get inside here?" (Y/N) asked, surprised at the giant vehicle in front of him.

The guard glared back at (Y/N) coldly.

"Get into the van 296. Me and Jack here will be going back to the facility,” The guard then turned around, mumbling “Where I can finally stop listening to you yammering."

Immediately after talking, the guard walked away, leaving Jack and (Y/N) in front of each other.

And realizing what was happening, Jack simply smiled while walking away.

"Bye (Y/N)! Nice meeting you!" Jack shouted, walking quickly back into the facility.

"Bye Jack! Pleasure meeting you as well" (Y/N) shouted back, hoping he would do well within the facility.

(Y/N) responded immediately, not wasting time in the slightest as he watched Jack reenter the facility doors.

And looking back at the van in front of him, (Y/N) held his breath as he walked through the back doors.

Leaving the facility.

Forever.

* * *

As (Y/N) got inside of the van, he noticed the much more stoic look from the two guard's faces. They seemed robotic. Their expression showed them to be in deep concentration, focused on the boy. They might have drilled a hole through his brain with their glare.

All in all? It was very uncomfortable.

While (Y/N) was staring at them, he eventually realized that he was in a vehicle for the first time in his life. What excitement! He looked in awe at the machine, taking in every single image of it as he could. Being forced to be away from nearly every known technological advancement, he was always interested on the improvements of people through science. 

Even if that science was the same thing that hurt him and the other kids.

(Y/N) laid down his backpack next to him before he started to talk with the guards. He needed answers and he was hoping that they would give it to him. But if he was being honest with himself? They won't.

"So, can you two tell me where I'm going? Or why I'm leaving?"

The two guards sat silently, expressionless. They both looked at each other before one of them started talking back to (Y/N).

"The higher ups ordered us to transport you. You have been deemed a failure and will be let go."

The millisecond (Y/N) heard this, his eyes went wide.

He couldn't believe what he heard. 

He was being... let go?

He pleaded back to the guards to reconsider.

“Wait, there must be some misunderstanding. I can't be that bad. I have some of the highest scores in the written test, and I have really good aim compared to the others. I work with my swords everyday, I have improved on my exams..."

As he said these words, the guards started to look at him even more sternly. It made (Y/N) become more desperate.

"Please... You can't take me somewhere else. I don't know what I would do, where I would go, how I would survive out there... I promise I'll do better. I'll do whatever they ask me. I can't go out there. Plea-"

And at that point, the other guard snapped. He was tired of (Y/N)'s pleading and just wanted him to shut up.

"LISTEN. OUR JOB WAS TO TRANSPORT YOU OUT OF THE FACILITY. THERE IS NOTHING THAT YOU CAN CHANGE. NOTHING. YOU'RE LUCKY YOU WERE EVEN GIVEN YOUR STUFF, LET ALONE WHAT WE DID WHILE IN THE FACILITY. IF YOU WERE ANYONE ELSE, YOU WOULDN'T BE STANDING HERE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND."

(Y/N) recoiled as he heard this, fearing the screaming adult. And when he trembled, the guard calmed down, sitting back down next to his coworker. Back into the cold, dead silence.

After the outburst, (Y/N)'s attitude started changing. 

He was no longer desperate. 

Just depressed.

“Alright then.. I'm guessing that there is no chance of you two helping me?"

"..."

"So... this is it. I'm... gone now. Right?"

“..."

The guard continued ignoring him as (Y/N) could only hear his own consciousness screaming at him. How he messed up. How he became such a failure, that they would rather abandon him than just kill him.

And with that, (Y/N) curled into a ball, letting his own thoughts keep him comfort.

* * *

After what seemed like hours had passed, with an awkward silence throughout the rest of the trip, the vehicle stopped. (Y/N) was knocked out of his trance, realizing that they had finally arrived at their destination, and looked around to see that nothing had changed from inside.

(Y/N) reacted immediately, changing back to his former attitude.

"Whoa. Looks like we're here."

(Y/N) looked back at the guards, seeing that their expression hasn't changed since the end of their conversation. (Y/N) sighed, grabbing his backpack and swords as he walked.

He looked down, speaking to no one in particular.

"So... this is it."

(Y/N) walked away from the guards, staring at the doors. He saw the cold, metal exterior, awaiting his departure from the vehicle. A terrifying sight to say the least.

In fear, (Y/N) turned back to the guards for one last question.

"Before I leave... where exactly did you guys take me?"

(Y/N) watched the two men as he finished, both of them having a stoic look on their faces. They looked slightly at each other, as if they were discussing what to do.

But as they stared at each other, (Y/N) saw a window behind one of the guards. And when he peeked through the window, he was confused.

All he saw were brown leaves. (Y/N) tried looking for anything else, but he couldn't find anything. Just... leaves.

And then, the guards saw (Y/N) look through the window. The two guards looked back at each other, both coming to an agreement. They knew what they had to do.

Then, before he could react, the guard that yelled at (Y/N) walked over to the boy and grabbed him by his sides, lifting the child up.

"Hey! Wait! Where did you guys take me!" (Y/N) struggled, trying to stop the men from moving him.

After he said this, (Y/N) started to hear the other guard talking to the driver. And then, the car moved. Realizing what they were doing, he struggled against the guard, trying to release his arms.

"Hey! Get off of me! Stop it!"

As he thrashed, the guard opened the van's back door. (Y/N) flinched in surprise as he looked outside.

Outside of the van, they were in the middle of a brown forest with no pathway to speak of. Leaves and rocks covered the floor, the bronze leaves on the trees reflected the light down, and all of the branches were thick and healthy. The entire ecosystem looked vibrant and alive. 

It would be beautiful if it wasn't for the claw marks on nearly every other tree.

As (Y/N) thrashed against the guard in a final act of resistance, he felt the arms of the guard leave his sides. And for a fraction of a second, he knew what happened.

He was thrown out of the van.

The air passed by with incredible speeds before he hit the ground with a thump. He rolled on the rocks and sharp leaves, going with the vehicle while slowing down. Bruises were all over his body, blood dripped out of a few cuts, pain took over all other senses. It was bad. Really bad.

The van took off, the back doors shutting in front of (Y/N). But before the van could leave, he got back off the ground in a final act of desperation. He started to chase after the vehicle, blood dripping down his cuts as he moved.

But despite his wounds, (Y/N) yelled towards the van in hopes that they would hear him. All of his words screamed in desperation.

"WAIT! COME BACK! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME HERE! PLEASE! I'LL DIE!" He screamed, hoping one of them could hear him.

But as he ran, the more and more he got tired, yet the further the van went. He continued screaming out to them, getting quieter and quieter as the vehicle left his sight, blood, sweat and tears leaving a trail.

"YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME OUT HERE! GRIMM HAVE TO BE ALL OVER THIS PLACE! YOU'RE GOING TO KILL ME! I'M ONLY A KID! PLEASE! I NEED YOU GUYS! Please! I need you. please..."

He fell onto the ground, dead tired. He looked up at the bluish-orange sky, surrounded by the shiny brown trees. Tears aligned his face. 

He continued to cry out.

"please... i need you... please... i need you... please..."

He continued for what was only twenty minutes long, but felt like hours upon hours of shouting, begging, pleading to the people leaving him. The blood soaked into the leaves around him, as he curled up into a ball. He tried to call out more, but his words were incomprehensible.

He felt emotions that would be familiar that day. 

Fear. 

Loneliness. 

Regret. 

Uselessness. 

Sadness...

* * *

The sky turned a dark orange as crying rang out. (Y/N) hadn't moved from his spot. He continued bawling his eyes out, tears no longer falling. A blood and tear stained pool laid underneath his body. The van was long gone, with no hope of tracking it.

But sadly, there was no time to be still. Not with where he was.

And he would realize that very quickly.

"grrrrrr"

(Y/N) paused. That was... growling. Not good.

Lifting his arm off of his face, his bloodshot eyes were revealed to the world. And slowly raising up, he searched around for where the growling was coming from. 

That's when he found them.

That's when he found three beowolves approaching him.

"Nice doggi-"

The beowolves growled louder, approaching the boy faster than before. They smelled the fear coming from (Y/N), who watched the grimm focus on different parts of his body. They opened their jaws, showing their canine teeth shining in hunger.

(Y/N) stared, his body giving up on him. He let his arms dangle while backing away slowly.

" _Of course. This has to be how I die. Should have seen it coming. God, I'm such a failure._ "

He closed his eyes, now thinking about his past in the facility. He had a dry smile across his face and his legs started to give out.

It was the end

" _No friends. No family. No one that cares about me... Heh. Let's hope that the next life, I'm not me._ "

(Y/N) looked at the beowolves with a sad smile on his face. That's all he could do at that moment. Think about his failures when his death was right in front of him.

But as he stared, he felt the fear leave his body, only to be replaced by something else.

His grin dropped. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration. His arms now up and legs ready to run. He felt something at that moment. Something he would always remember.

Hope.

(Y/N) turned around and sprinted away from the beowolves, heading into the deeper, denser, darker part of the forest. He couldn't even see the expression on the wolves faces, but he did hear their howl before they ran.

But as the grimm ran towards him, (Y/N) started running faster than he had ever ran before. He was moving at superhuman levels of speed, going faster than most athletes. He was running so fast, that he shocked both the grimm and himself from the speed.

Confusion filled (Y/N)'s head, starting from the moment he looked at the beowolves.

" _What in the hell is this?_ "

As he ran, the forest became denser and denser, almost covering the entirety of the sky. The sun faded, leaving only the broken moon and stars to light (Y/N)'s path. The leaves reflecting the light from the ground blurred his eyes, rendering him unable to mostly see where he was going.

Even with this though, (Y/N) still moved with perfect accuracy, getting away from the beasts. He swung off branches, jumped across trenches, and avoided any sort of obstacle within his path. If it wasn't for his age, people would think he was an olympic acrobat.

But the movement wasn't what made him have questions. Nor was it the light not bothering him. The thing that weirded him out the most? 

None of it felt weird.

" _This makes no fucking sense. Fucking, what the shit. Why the fuck is this happening._ "

He freaked out within his mind, not realizing what was right in front of him. 

He was running towards the bottom of a cliff. It reached thousands of feet up, with no way of seeing the top. 

An absolute dead end.

(Y/N) stopped quickly, turning around to hit his back against the rock wall.

The three wolves eventually caught up to (Y/N), slowing down as they noticed his predicament. They slowly approached him once more, growling more audibly than before. 

They were ready to feast.

(Y/N) looked around, trying to find a way out but all to no avail. All of his exits were blocked, leaving him no escape. 

He had to face the beowolves now.

As he stared back at the beowolves, he closed his eyes once more. His breathing slowed, and his heartbeat became steady. He calmed himself to a point he never thought was possible.

He took one deep breath in, unsheathing his swords in the process. 

And his body went into a fighting stance, preparing for the worse.

The three grimm growled louder. Seeing a kid challenge them infuriated the group. They were grimm, and even some new huntsman would have trouble with them. A kid was out of the question.

And that's when it started.

The first beowolf, over taken in anger, roared out to the moon before he charged at (Y/N). It brought out its claw, planning to quickly finish the ten year old in a single slash.

The claw got close to (Y/N)'s face, being only a few feet away from him.

All before he opened his eyes. 

(Y/N) flipped over the beowolf and landed behind it. He landed himself back into a fighting stance, going through his sword settings until it landed on a brown and red color.

The wolf crashed into the wall, letting out a groan as it stopped in its place. He never expected a kid to move like that. It was unordinary to say the least.

It got up, turning back to see (Y/N), ready once again. 

It ran once more at him, trying to slash him in hopes to cut him in half.

Just what (Y/N) prepared for.

Right before the claw got anywhere close to him, (Y/N) swung his sword while pressing a button. The sword then glowed a bright brown as stone formed around it, blocking the grimm's attack.

As the grimm flinched from the parry, (Y/N) used his momentum to spin towards it. 

And before the grimm can react, it recoils from a sharp pain in its chin.

(Y/N) jammed his sword straight through the grimm's skull, the tip poking through the top of its head. 

He pressed the button on his sword, letting flames being set off from the wolf's head, creating light throughout the area. It was a beautiful red, burning the skin of the grimm's body into dust.

A warning for the other two.

(Y/N) took out his sword from the grimm's head, letting the beowolf fall down onto the ground.

The other two beowolves were shocked with what occurred. How could a child, barely aged ten years old, out in the middle of nowhere, who's body parts were giving out in front of them, be able to effortlessly take down a beowolf in two attacks. That just didn't make sense.

(Y/N) looked back at the two beowolves, getting rid of the coating from his swords. He pointed at the two with a look of defiance on his face.

"COME ON! DO YOUR WORST SPARKY!" (Y/N) screamed, hoping to aggravate the grimm.

And it worked better than expected.

The two beasts growled in response. They looked at each other one more time before charging at him, jaws open to rip his head off.

(Y/N) twirled past the grimm, avoiding both attacks at once. While twirling, he pulled out his swords, changing them both to a blue setting.

The grimm landed on the ground, looking back in shock at how he avoided them. A chill ran down their chest. They looked down and saw a slash wound going straight across their torso, ice creeping throughout their body from the wound.

It was over.

As they finished staring at the ice, they noticed that (Y/N)'s swords were now different. Ice coated around them, as he stood there staring away from the grimm.

(Y/N) turned back, seeing the grimm now completely frozen over. He changed the swords to a yellow mode, pressing the button, causing electricity to course throughout their blades. He charged after the two wolves, before slicing them both in half as the electricity roasted them from the inside out. The grimm sculptures fell onto the ground, now separated perfectly from the waist.

(Y/N) stood straight up, now relaxed as the three beowolves disintegrated into dust. All that was left was him.

(Y/N) pressed the buttons on his swords, the electricity fading from the blades. He re-sheathed his swords, before looking down onto the ground.

(Y/N) immediately fell down exhausted.

From all his testing, he was never able to act like he did right then. All he was able to do was aim and think. But, at that exact moment, when he needed it the most, he was able to fight as if he trained for decades against grimm. It was unnatural.

" _What the hell was that? And... why did it feel so... natural? Normal? Familiar?_ "

(Y/N) looked up at the sky, seeing the night filled with stars as far as the eye could see. Tons of them creating constellations.

"Beautiful..."

After staring at the sky, he picked himself back up, looking at what happened to him. He looked back, feeling his backpack filled with his books. (Y/N) sighed in relief as he watched the forest around him.

(Y/N) had no idea on where he should go, nor what he was supposed to do when he got there. The forest had a blinding light, leaving him virtually blind through the forest.

"I guess I should find somewhere to sleep. And then I can try to find... anything," (Y/N) said to calm himself down.

Looking out, (Y/N) started walking through the woods, heading off in hopes to find any sort of civilization. Anything out there that could help him survive. He had no idea of what was coming up for him.

* * *

As (Y/N) walked away from the battlefield, tired and hoping to survive, a figure stared at his every move. The figure wore a silver cloak around his body with a hood that he took off, revealing his white hair. He focused in on (Y/N)'s actions.

As he watched, a couple of other figures behind him started talking.

"Well, well, well. Looks like he's finally awakening. Ooh, this is going to be so much fun," said the jovial man, happy on how things were turning out.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Why did you drag me here anyway? We already know what our job is. I was prepping before you interrupted me to watch this," said the serious man, unamused by the other’s actions.

"Ok, ok sure. But it's nice to watch it for yourself. Don't be a buzzkill, Sir Bloody Mess." The jovial man said, trying to get a rise out of the other.

"Oh, you don't get to use that name to me, Mr. Painsexual,” said ‘Bloody Mess’, prepared to fight him without a moment's notice.

These two figures were next to each other, with the one named 'Painsexual' putting his arm around 'Bloody Mess' shoulders. 'Bloody mess' tried to get rid of the man from his body, pushing 'Painsexual' away.

'Bloody Mess' wore a white shirt, blazer, and a nice pair of black pants. He kept himself very clean, polishing every part of his look, from the hair to his dress shoes.

'Painsexual' wore a much more casual clothing. He wore an oversized navy blue t-shirt and a pair of black jeans. He had used tennis shoes on, and while he didn't overly make himself presentable, he did make sure to make sure he looked fine as he was.

As they fought, another lone figure watched unamused by their antics. Unlike the other three, his clothes looked worse for wear. All of his clothing was torn and ripped, not cleaned at all recently.

The lone figure regained his focus on (Y/N), taking note of his every move.

The silver figure sitting in front of the others got annoyed the more 'Painsexual' and 'Bloody mess' fought. He stood up and looked back at the two arguing.

"Guys, be quiet. You both know that he needs all the help that he can get."

The figure put his attention on 'Bloody mess.'

"Yes, we should be preparing, but it's also a good idea to watch what he is doing so we know what he goes through," said the figure, hoping that he would start understanding the other.

He then put his focus on 'Painsexual.'

"Don't annoy him. He works harder than any of us," said the figure, hoping that he would stop annoying the other.

He then stared at the both of them.

"Now both of you, either keep your mouth shut and watch, or go back to preparing" he said, hoping that the fight would end.

The figure went back to his seat, the other two quieting down. They looked at the screen, watching (Y/N) starting to fall asleep.

The silver figure stared at the projection once more from within his red chair, while moving his red book to his side, monitoring (Y/N)'s every move.

"Well. This will be interesting."


	2. The Spirit of the Forest

"God, how far is a town from here!" shouted (Y/N), hoping someone would hear him.

After being let go from the facility, (Y/N) had traveled diligently. It had already been five days, and he was still searching for any place that could help him. He needed to get somewhere safe. Too dangerous being lost in this forest.

While in the forest, he had developed a routine: travel for a couple hours, stop to rest, eat, go back to traveling, train, rest for the night. If (Y/N) found any animals on his way, he would usually try hunting it as a form of training, but even with this, he barely had enough food to get by.

But while committing to his routine, he tried to keep himself occupied. The traveling took a toll on (Y/N). Every second he walked, he got more and more annoyed by his surroundings.

"You know, you would think that if they would drop me off at a forest, there would be either a trail or something nearby to help them get there but noooooo, they just had to drop me in the middle of goddamn nowhere!"

(Y/N) sighed in frustration. He looked down at the ground, seeing the swords on his hip. It made him remember that fight. It felt like only yesterday he was the weakest subject in the facility. But that moment... That fight... It sparked a curiosity within him that needed to be quenched.

" _What the hell was that? Was it... instincts? Something they did to me? My semblance?_ " (Y/N) wondered, hoping to find the answers to his questions.

He always prided himself on his use of logic to understand many things within the world. How the world works, why people act the way they do, what determines things in the world. But this... The only answers in his mind were too insane to put his trust on.

" _No, it can't be my semblance. I didn't feel my aura drained from the fight. Was it some sort of superpower? An alien like ability? Am I even human? What the hell am I!?_ "

He couldn't help but hyperventilate from the thoughts. The unknowing feeling... the thought that there was more to him than even he knew... it terrified him.

But he couldn't dwell on that fear for too long. He had to be realistic.

" _No, I have to be human. And if it was a superpower, that wouldn't make sense on how I got it. In that case... what was that? Why have I never even heard of something like this?"_

His first thought was to retrace the day. Try to remember everything that happened. If he did that, he might of not realized something important.

So the day went by in his head. Him being thrown out, crying, the wolves, his skills, his bravery, his emotions; all of it. It was a rush. Something never in his wildest dreams would believe was possible.

And when looking back, there was one part that stuck out to him. One single part.

" _Why was it so... natural? Why don't I feel as shocked as I should? Why now? Why?_ "

(Y/N) stopped his pacing, just trying to think. He needed to understand what happened. He couldn't afford not knowing why he acted that way. He needed any edge he could at this point, and he couldn't waste that power from lack of searching.

That was all until he heard footsteps.

(Y/N) eyes darted around, searching for when the sound came from. He knew that sound. He one hundred percent knew that sound. There wasn't a doubt in his mind.

He quietly moved through the bushes and trees, covering himself as much as possible. He needed to make sure he was right. If he was, than it would be a new aspect far more useful than others.

And after only a few seconds, he spotted it.

A lone beowolf, patrolling in front of him. 

The wolf crawled, sniffing the area around it. It was probably tracking some sort of prey. Animal or human, it was hard to tell. But either way, the grimm seemed to be crawling away from (Y/N).

Lucky.

But watching the beast in front of him, (Y/N) thought about what he should do.

" _Looks like it's on its own... Should I kill it? Stop it before it hurts anyone?_ " (Y/N) contemplated in his mind.

While this happened, he instinctually placed his hands on the hilt of his swords. He didn't have a lot of dust on him, but he had enough to fight a couple of times without running out. He wasn't ill prepared at any point.

He stared down the wolf in a questioning gaze, remembering how he killed three others so easily. How powerful he was with those swords. Just how incredible he was...

And he looked down in frustration. (Y/N) laid down his arms and watched the grimm leave his sight.

(Y/N) avoided the grimm as well, anger filling his mind.

"Who am I kidding. There is no way I can take on a grimm alone."

* * *

It was only one day after being abandoned and (Y/N) was resting next to a tree. After traveling all night, he had gotten tired from moving and decided to rest instead. It was better to sit still than travel while weak.

But he wouldn't just rest in the dangerous forest. That would be ridiculous. Instead, he was making a bow with the materials around him, a good addition to the weapons in his arsenal.

The bow was made of dead wood and twine, with the arrows being made out of the same material. It was far more useful than the swords he dragged everywhere. But even with this far, more useful weapon, (Y/N) wasn't that good with it. He was more used to mechanical bows than wooden ones.

But who knows, maybe the swords were better. After all, he did kill those beowolves with them.

He left his backpack nearby with his swords next to it. He hasn't used the swords ever since that fight, but he was planning on training with them later. After finishing the bow, of course.

And after only an hour of working, he finally finished making the bow. He only had a few arrows that he had to hold onto for now. He could barely fit a couple of them in his backpack and he didn't want to let go of any of his books. He loved them too much.

(Y/N) sighed in relief, stating afterwards, "Finally. Now I can train."

Stretching his arms out, (Y/N) stood up from the ground to grab his swords. He could finally see what he's truly capable of.

And so, (Y/N) walked, looking for some sort of training grounds. If he could be just as strong as before, he would be almost definitely safe from grimm. It could also give him some answers, but that was a thought for later. He just needed to survive right now.

But thankfully, after searching for only a couple more minutes, he finally found it. 

A boulder hidden between the trees.

It was the best possible subject to test on. It would give him an idea on how strong he was and still hide from the world around him. 

"Perfect."

the moment he saw the boulder, (Y/N) immediately got into a stance. He was trying to replicate what he did only a day ago. Maybe if he looked the same as before, he would act the same as well.

But as he unsheathed his swords, he almost immediately fell over. The weight of the swords felt much heavier than before, and just pulling them out was a hassle.

Not that good of a sign.

But that wouldn't stop him, and stopping himself from falling over, (Y/N) readjusted himself to strike. He had to test himself, no matter what his body told him. 

So standing only a few feet away from the boulder, he took a deep breath in and closed his eyes. He tried to remember every sensation he felt when fighting. Every emotion, every feeling, every movement...

Until he opened his eyes.

And he charged at the boulder.

He ran up to the stone, swords in his hands, aiming for a slash across the boulder. He was hoping it wasn't a fluke, that he actually was that strong at that moment.

And what he didn't prepare for, was what happened next.

_*snap*_

" _Shit._ "

As he snapped the branch, (Y/N) faceplanted onto the boulders side. His nose broke from the impact, blood slightly dripping from the wound. He couldn't help but roll on the floor in pain.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow..."

But thankfully, after all of that whining, the pain eventually stopped, letting (Y/N) rest on the leaf covered floor.

He glared at the boulder, a mix of anger and embarrassment filling his mind. Picking himself back up, (Y/N) scattered to clean the area around him. He made sure that nothing would cause that travesty again.

But finally, after finishing from the paranoid state, (Y/N) went back to where he charged, preparing to do it all over again.

"Alright, let's do this."

(Y/N) didn't wait as he rushed at the boulder. It was only a few seconds before he was at striking distance from the stone. And when slicing the boulder, he could only hope that he would recreate the strength from that fight.

But sadly, that wasn't what came next.

The moment the sword made contact with the rock...

It stopped.

There was no damage to the stone. No overwhelming strength. No supernatural abilities...

Just, nothing.

And all (Y/N) could do was stare at the point of impact.

"No..." (Y/N) said, shocked by what he was seeing.

Confusion within him changed to anger. He couldn't believe it. He wouldn't believe it. He had to be mistaken.

And in an act of desperation, he continued slicing the rock, hoping it would finally work.

"Come on! Work already! I could kill those beowolves, I should be able to slice this STUPID ROCK!"

(Y/n) went on for an hour, slicing and dicing the boulder, hatred filling his mind after each swing. Hatred from his own uselessness. From his own regrets. From his own capabilities. From his own failures.

But each swing didn't harm the stone. 

All it did was tire him out.

And eventually, (Y/N) had to stop.

"... must've been a fluke then... I could never control this thing."

He looked at his arms, clenching his swords tightly, shaking them as they left a mark on his hands. And all he did was put them back onto his hip, releasing them from his grasp.

And like that, (Y/N) left, sighing as he spoke. 

"Guess I can't fight again any time soon."

* * *

“Stupid shit never working when I want it to..." he mumbled, hating how rare the ability showed up.

(Y/N) continued to walk away from the grimm, going back to thinking about his... thing.

But as he walked for hours on end, (Y/N) got more infuriated with the forest. Every single tree looked the same, so he could never tell how far he actually walked. It pissed him off.

"I swear, it's like this place never ends. You would think this thing is magical or something. 'Ooh the infinity forest where time never passes. Leave your enemies to be bored to death.' "

(Y/N) sighed, hating how everything was going. Everything was just so... challenging to get through. Who knew what else would happen when he finally got out.

Actually, he hadn't thought about all of that yet. About what he would do when he got out of the forest. Probably a much more important topic to keep in mind than what superpower he had.

But there came a problem. 

He had no idea what to do when he left. 

He didn't have any money, any family, any friends. Hell, his only clothes were the white jumpsuits the facility gave him. They no longer even looked white any more. More brown and red then white.

So, finally considering the future ahead, (Y/N) failed to realize his own surroundings.

He failed to realize what was in front of him.

"Is that... No..."

(Y/N) ran over, hoping to god that it was what he thought.

And thankfully, it was.

"A road! Finally!"

Getting onto the dirt road, (Y/N) could finally relax. For five days he had to survive. A ten year old had to survive five whole days in the grimm infested forest. And finally, he was free.

But when looking around, he realized something.

The trail wasn't as helpful as he hoped. There was no indicator of where to go, where it would head, or what exactly it's connected to.. All (Y/N) could tell was that the trail had not been cleaned in years.

"Finally found a road and I'm still lost. Great."

(Y/N) looked down, hope fleeing from him as he realized that he was far away from being safe. 

But that was until he noticed something. 

Something ahead of the path that was... confusing.

From where he rushed, he saw a small, man made trail leaving the road. The trail led into the forest, with the trees blocking the view ahead of it, towards a place that (Y/N) didn't know. He didn't see the trail at all during his travel and he had no idea where it would lead to.

"Where the hell does that go?" (Y/N) said, questioning everything he was seeing.

Staring at the path in front of him, (Y/N) thought about what he should do. Should he follow the dirt road to civilization, or investigate wherever the trail lead to?

But, with the curiosity fitting of his age, he made the only logical option in his head.

He followed the trail, hoping that whatever was at the end would help him tremendously.

* * *

(Y/N) tried to remember if he saw something where the path was leading. Any sign of a person up ahead, any sort of help, any nice location... But the more he thought, the less information he gained. The only thing that he remembered from his journey were the trees, all of them blurring together to make them unrecognizable. 

Not that helpful in a forest.

He walked on the trail for an entire hour, shocked that it was so large and he didn't see it. The path was made shockingly well, being so large and still hidden. Whoever created this knew how to stay out of the spotlight.

And after walking for a whole thirty minutes more it finally ended.

And he saw what it was hiding.

In the middle of the forest, (Y/N) found a small wooden cabin in front of a river. The cabin seemed to be in pretty bad shape, with the roof being extremely damaged. Pieces of the roof fell off, holes staggered across the walls, the windows were cracked with dust blocking its view...

It was bad.

And that was just the outside.

Because as (Y/N) entered the cabin, he couldn't help but cough from all the dust around the house. And when he looked up, all he could see was the variety of broken objects within.

And when he checked around the cabin, all he could find was a couple of old books, most of them damaged or aged. The ones he could read weren't helpful, talking about cooking or gardening, while the more useful ones were far gone.

So the more he kept searching, the more he doubted that something would help him. He thought the entire thing was a waste of time. That he should've just hoped he would land at a town, not test his luck.

But that was until he found the one thing he was looking for.

And it made the entire trip to him, worth it.

"Yes! A map!"

While (Y/N) was in what he assumed to be the bedroom, he found a compass and map in one of the drawers. The map was mostly intact, only having a few rips around it, while the compass was cracked, but still functional.

It wasn't the best, but it would have to do.

(Y/N) searched through the map, hoping to use the terrain as a guide. The map said he was either a few hours or a couple of days away from a town. Not the best guess, but it would have to do.

At the very least, he finally had information on the forest. 

Bronzeleaf.

"If I leave now, I might be able to make it to the next town before nightfall..."

The thought of going to the town filled his mind. He couldn't help but think about how his life could be. About how much better his life could become...

But then he thought realistically.

If he went to the town, then what? He would be homeless, broke, and have no way of surviving out there. The biggest change would be him avoiding people instead of grimm.

But if he stayed at the cabin...

He might be able to fix the cabin if he tried. He could also hunt his food, so he wouldn't need any money. He would be able to avoid the grimm and train in peace. He could build, learn, read...

It might be better for him just to stay.

So looking around the cabin once more, (Y/N) came a decision. He noticed the hatchet outside the cabin, untouched and next to a tree stump. There was an unused garden area next to the cabin on the side, and behind the cabin was a broken generator. He wouldn't be able to fix it, but maybe it could help him learn to build.

Because even with all of the problems, at the end of the day...

It's still a home.

"You know what,” (Y/N) said, finally making a decision, “Screw it. I'm just gonna live here."

(Y/N) went around the cabin, trying to find a couple of tools that were still usable in their condition. While not many, he was able to find a broken hammer, a wrench, a dull knife, a broken shovel... Not the best, but easily fixable.

And looking over the cabin once more, (Y/N) took a deep breath in before deciding what to do.

"Well... time to get fixing."

* * *

One month after living in the cabin, (Y/N) worked on fixing the house. And thankfully, he wasn't that bad at it.

The cabin was back in a proper condition. The doors, walls, and ceiling were normal, the chairs and table looked decent, and the bookshelf was full of his books and other random junk he had. Overall, it was a pretty nice home.

Next to where the axe was, there laid a couple of logs, some cut in half and some not. The garden was even growing some food. Hopefully. (Y/N) was still learning how to farm, but he followed the directions carefully enough. It was a start at least. And of course, he still kept some seeds just in case he failed.

And some feet away from the cabin, (Y/N) was training in the new training grounds. At least, he seemed to be training. It was very hard to tell with him falling every other minute. His skill with the swords hadn't changed much since last time.

The training ground was simple, full of makeshift workout equipment and a shooting range nearby. They weren't made that well, but it helped him enough. Good enough to at least get stronger with the minimal resources he had.

But after hours of training, working on his form with the swords, (Y/N) eventually dropped from exhaustion. Sweat covered his body as he panted for water. 

He grabbed the canteen he found in the cabin and drank heartily from it.

" _*glug**glug**glug**sigh*_ Alright, that's enough for today."

(Y/N) went back to the cabin, planning on cooking some food and studying afterwards. Maybe read one of his books beforehand. Who knows.

But as (Y/N) entered his home and to grab his makeshift fishing rod, he reminded himself of something.

He ran out of bait yesterday.

" _*tsk*_ Looks like I'm hunting again."

Realizing he had to go out and hunt, (Y/N) decided to rest beforehand, reading a book to pass the time. He hated hunting because of how inefficient he was at it, but it was the only choice he got at the moment.

But thankfully, the book he was reading was one of his favorites. 'The Child of Chaos.'

The book was about a boy whose parents were a part of two warring countries. After giving birth, the parents were then hunted down, leaving the boy with a family friend in hiding. The boy would then go on a journey, meeting strange individuals along the way. The friend, the 'hero', the veteran, and the king. At the end, the boy's friends help him bring peace across the land, living in a world fit for everyone.

(Y/N) loved the protagonist in the book, wishing to be like him. A real hero like in his stories. Someone who went with maybe not the best companions, but still friends that helped him along the way.

But as (Y/N) checked outside, he watched the sun go down much lower than he hoped. 

He had to leave now if he wanted to eat at all. 

So without a moment spared, (Y/N) rushed out of his cabin, dropping his book, and grabbed his bow.

Not knowing what exactly he was running into.

* * *

After searching the forest for a few hours, (Y/N) headed back to the cabin, dragging the dead deer with him. It took him a while to find the stag, but thankfully, he got it before it became too dark.

"For the love of... Why do I always get lost." (Y/N) exclaimed, hating how often it was recently.

Yep. Even after living in the forest for over a month, (Y/N) still got lost within the forest. He got slightly better over time, trying to take note of marks for direction, but he could almost never get to his home within a few hours.

Another reason why he hated leaving.

But while trying to head to the cabin, hoping to eat sooner than later, (Y/N) stopped.

Because at that moment, a scream rang out.

"AAHHHH!"

(Y/N) froze, panic filling his mind at the gut wrenching scream.

" _Was that... a woman?_ "

(Y/N)'s eyes darted throughout the forest, searching for wherever it was coming from. But looking around, he couldn't find anything but trees.

But he could hear the thunderous footsteps charging.

And with that, (Y/N) looked at the deer he hunted, trying to make a decision.

" _Maybe I should just leave that alone..._ "

He looked back towards the voice's direction. He knew that if he ran, he would probably be unable to help and lose his food for the day. There was no benefit in going there.

...But that didn't matter.

"... Fuck it!"

(Y/N) dropped the deer, leaving it on the ground as he ran towards the sound of the footsteps.

He couldn't just leave.

But as he went through the forest, he noticed the claw marks across his path. Destruction marked a trail to where he should follow. A terrifying sight.

And it made him run even faster than before.

It took him ten minutes to get there, but he finally found it. He finally found what he was looking for.

A young woman, backed against a tree. And an ursa, staring her down while approaching her. 

A terrifying scene to say the least.

(Y/N) stared at the scene. The horrible, awful scene that he could easily predict the next few moments.

It reminded him of the facility. 

He knew he couldn't do anything. He knew the entire trip was pointless. He knew... 

He was still a failure.

" _What was I thinking. I can't save anyone. I knew this trip was pointless. Now I can't even eat. All I can do is watch..._ "

The thoughts came pouring in. It felt like a dam broke, and he couldn't even hear his own voice in the tidal wave. Only a jumble of voices, all attacking him with verbal insults.

Each one he agreed with.

But then... he felt different. His mind was... silent. 

And in that silence, a single voice spoke out.

" **_Save her._ **"

Looking over the ursa once more, (Y/N)'s eyes analyzed. He thought of every possible outcome that could come from him attacking it. Every possible event that he could accomplish. 

Nearly all of them lead to his death. 

But not all.

So with that knowledge in mind (Y/N) pulled out his bow, aiming at the ursa's head.

And shouted the best he could.

"HEY! OVER HERE EVIL SMOKEY!"

Everything stopped. Even the wind wasn't moving. It was as if what just occurred was so crazy, so insane, so mind-numbingly dumb, that it would take more than the time left in the universe to process what (Y/N) just did at that moment.

The ursa slowly turned around, facing towards (Y/N) in wonder. The woman looked at the boy in a mix of confusion and fear. (Y/N) kept a calm look as he waited for the grimm to make its move.

It was time.

The bear roared out into the air and rushed at the young boy. It opened its jaw, ready to feast on (Y/N)'s flesh.

But (Y/N) wouldn't let that happen.

He fired his arrows at the ursa's head, hurting the bear the best he could. But the grimm didn't stop, continuing to charge after (Y/N). 

But before he could, (Y/N) climbed up a nearby tree and jumped to another before the grimm crashed into it.

The ursa rushed through the trees ahead of it, destroying the forest until it stopped its charge. It looked around, trying to find the child using all of its senses..

All until an arrow hit it right on its shoulder. 

The grimm flinched in pain before it looked to where the arrow was fired, finding only leaves. 

Until another was fired, hitting the same shoulder.

(Y/N) ran around the bear, hiding behind the branches as he fired his arrows at the grimm. He pelted the ursa all around, making it look like a porcupine from all the arrows.

But (Y/N) wasn't thinking about the fight at hand.

All he had were questions.

" _Why? Why again? Why does this happen to me? HOW LONG UNTIL THIS THING DIES?!_ "

But while thinking to himself, (Y/N) didn't realize that the ursa finally spotted him. 

Letting out a roar, the grimm jumped head first, aiming to take a bite at (Y/N)'s head.

(Y/N) didn't expect what came next.

While it jumped, (Y/N) started to see the ursa change. His vision blurred, as the grimm he fought was gone. In its place was a pale white humanoid creature with dozens of eyes on its face. Its teeth were more human in appearance, with six additional arms growing out of its body. It was... unnatural.

But when (Y/N) saw this... thing, he didn't feel fear. 

He didn't feel anything. 

He didn't even think about anything. Just a voice in his head.

" _Aim for the center eye_."

(Y/N) aimed at the center of its face and fired arrow, after arrow, after arrow at the monster. Blood spurted out of its eye, and every second the creature got closer, (Y/N) fired arrows even faster, soon covering the demons entire face. 

All until he ran out of arrows.

(Y/N) dropped down before the creature bit him, avoiding the thing while it fell onto the ground. He stared at the monster with a stoic look before shaking his head for a few seconds. 

And when he looked back up, the demon changed back from its alien like look to the grimm it was before.

And while the ursa evaporated, only confusion was left in (Y/N)'s mind.

" _What in the hell was that? What the hell was I thinking?_ "

While (Y/N) stared at where the bear was, the woman from before rushed over to him, sweat dripping on her forehead.

"HEY KID!” the woman exclaimed, getting (Y/N) to notice her arrival. “How were you able to do that? Who are you?"

But as (Y/N) looked back at the woman, he started talking differently. His face became more serious, and his tone dropped to a lower octave.

"If you can get back onto the road, head northward. There is a nearby village there that could help you." He spoke up, not looking towards the woman at all.

(Y/N) went to grab the arrows off the disappearing grimm's face while the woman continued asking questions.

"Wait! That doesn't answer anything! Who are you! What's a kid doing out here! Why did you help me!"

(Y/N) leaped up onto a nearby tree branch, surprising both the woman and himself.

"I'm no one. Now get going if you want to get help."

He ran back to the forest, leaving the woman behind, heading towards where he hoped his cabin was. While running, only one thought crossed his mind.

" _Dammit. I wanted to eat today._ "

* * *

After running for half an hour, (Y/N) finally arrived back at his cabin. As (Y/N) entered the home, he left his weapon on the table, and headed to his bedroom. He fell, face first onto his bed, full of exhaustion.

" _What the hell was that? How was I able to make that jump? Why did I run from her? Why did I act that way? Why did that even happen?_ "

As (Y/N) questioned these things, he kept on thinking about how he saved the woman from the ursa. It felt... nice. It felt like he was a hero from one of his stories. The savior coming to aid in times of peril, taking nothing from the victim. A real knight.

" _Maybe... I should do that more. Train more. Search for Grimm. Take them down when they danger others._ "

He contemplated. That's when his thoughts came back to snuff that dream.

"No, who am I kidding. I can't control this thing. I would just make everything worse by helping. Why try..."

And as (Y/N) was about to fall asleep, a sudden idea popped into his head.

" _Unless... it worked because I was saving someone? Is that why I was so strong? To save people? Does it want me to save people?_ "

He debated with himself for hours and hours. His doubts and fears vs his hopes and dreams. A battle that raged in his mind for years, becoming stronger on both ends than ever before.

He finally reached a conclusion.

" _Alright. Let's just see what happens. If I save people, I save people. If I don't, I don't. I'll train hard either way, so I still benefit somehow from it. Yeah... that sounds good._ "

And as (Y/N) fell asleep, four shadows appeared for a split second, before being replaced by the endless abyss of sleep.

* * *

"So, what's this 'spirit of the forest' that everyone has been talking about?"

In the middle of Beacon Academy, seven years after the incident, sat a white haired man in his desk talking with a blonde woman holding some sort of electronic device. These were Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch, headmaster and headmistress within the academy.

"It appears that out in Bronzeleaf Forest, some individual is going around, slaying Grimm that would danger people passing by. Apparently, there was once someone called the 'spirit of the forest' that did the same thing sixty years ago."

Ozpin looked down at his desk, his hand scratching his chin as he listened.

"Interesting. Are they the same figure, or different?"

"It hasn't been confirmed, but people suspect that the 'spirit of the forest' is different from the original. They people who encountered the 'spirit' have confirmed that the person was young, so possibly a child of the original."

Ozpin moved closer, gaining more and more interest as she continued.

"Hmm. And are there any pictures of this person?"

Glynda looked down at her scroll, going through it to find her sources.

"As a matter of fact, there is one picture that's been posted on the 'spirit'. It's quite blurry, but it's enough to make out some of the figure's physique and such."

Eventually, Glynda pulled up a photo of the spirit and showed it to Ozpin quickly after.

She handed her device to Ozpin, displaying a fairly fit figure in a brown forest, wearing a large cloak as he rushed after a group of grimm with his swords in hand.

And as Ozpin stared at the image, he paused. Nothing changed, he just stopped.

Until suddenly.

"Well, it looks like we're going to Bronzeleaf Forest to meet this person."

And while Ozpin grinned, the headmistress was shocked at this sudden declaration. This sudden? What for? Why now?

But Ozpin didn't answer. He simply stood up and walked to the elevator, leaving Glynda.

"Wait, are we really sure we should go to him? What if he's someone dangerous? Why should we go all the way there now? We need to prepare for the new students next week."

Ozpin simply answered her question while standing in the elevator, pressing the button for it to go to the bottom floor.

"Oh, I don't think we need to worry about that. Now we best be going. We have to greet him together after all."

As he said that, Glynda stared back in frustration. She headed with him into the elevator, looking at her scroll in frustration. And while heading down the elevator, Ozpin kept on thinking to himself.

" _It has to be him. I was wrong the first time, but I know this one is right. It has to be._ "


	3. Society

"Why did we have to go now? We should be preparing at the academy, not finding this person."

"Now, now. I said it'll be fine so it will be fine. Don't worry."

Glynda looked away in annoyance. They had been traveling for hours on the trail, searching for wherever the 'spirit' was. Problem, he wasn't easy to find.

Every report of him was from someone he saved. No one could intentionally find him. It made people think he was a ghost. An avenging spirit to save people in need.

That's why they called him the Spirit of The Forest.

"I understand that you want to see him Ozpin, but that could take weeks. If he wishes to be hidden, we should just leave him be. He's not harming anyone."

"Well, I feel like we should meet him. I... have a feeling he will help us. A hunch you could say."

" _*sigh*_ Fine. But do you have any idea where he could be?"

"Well, why don't you see for yourself."

Ozpin motioned his hand to the right of the road. And as Glynda looked, she found a small trail going into the forest.

"How did yo-"

"Well, we should go now. Shall we?"

Ozpin walked towards the trail, motioning for Glynda to follow.

She stared at him, baffled, until shaking her head.

"I hope he's good enough for this."

"Oh trust me. He will be."

* * *

The cabin changed significantly throughout the past few years. Before, it was a small little shack in the middle of nowhere, rundown and destroyed. But now? It was almost like a small town.

Where once the small training grounds were, there was now a huge field for working out. Training equipment that were amazingly constructed, scattered across the area, creating a new outdoor gym. Weights, pull up bars, a small track for running; it had it all.

Next to the outdoor gym was what looked like an obstacle course and the archery range. The archery range looked much nicer, now having a roof where the archers would fire their arrows. A wooden bow hung off the wall next to a quiver full of arrows. The targets were all placed at different lengths, some of them hanging off mechanisms that moved.

Compared to the archery range, the obstacle course was ginormous. It had monkey bars, salmon ladders, floating steps, and more. There was even a control panel near the set to activate different sections of the course.

Across from the three training areas, there stood a workbench. It wasn't that large of an area, just a small table with blueprints and tools around it. It showed the construction for all of the mechanisms in the area: moving targets, moving platforms, traps, etc. Tons of improvements for the cabin were displayed.

And the cabin was no longer the small damaged hut. It was now a ginormous wooden house with a second floor. It had clean windows, a chimney, a porch, a balcony; it looked nothing like before.

The generator behind the cabin also changed. It was functioning, giving power throughout the entire house. Next to it were some random metal parts, all collected from scrap yards nearby.

And the inside of the house was no longer the barren, dusty, broken place. It was a home, full of furniture and decorations that people no longer wanted. The living room had couches, tables, paintings, the kitchen had a fridge, a stove, an oven, there were bedrooms, closets, restrooms and more. It was... nice.

And within the home was (Y/N), fast asleep in his bedroom. His bedroom had all of the items he needed: a bookshelf full of his stories, a dresser where he kept his clothing, a desk, a cabinet, some paper, some pencils, and more. It was simple. Simple, but fitting.

" _*yawn*_ "

(Y/N) woke up from within his bedroom, lifting his head up out of exhaustion. He had fought a pack of grimm yesterday, so he overslept that night. If it wasn't for that, he would have probably woke up at the crack of dawn, as he usually did.

After getting out of bed, (Y/N) stood up groggily and headed to his dresser. There he saw his now red jumpsuits and black cloak. The jumpsuit was red to ignore blood stains and because he liked the color red. Also, he thought that a black cloak would look cool with it, so he made one.

After putting on the clothes, (Y/N) faced a mirror to check himself out. There he stared for a minute, making sure that there was nothing wrong with how he looked. Because of him being alone for such a long time, he made an effort to at least look good to himself.

And after seeing his fit look exactly like it should, (Y/N) headed downstairs to cook food for himself.

Thankfully he still had some.

While walking downstairs, (Y/N) talked with himself.

"God, that was a lot more grimm then usual."

"Oh really now?"

(Y/N) stopped. He didn't just imagine that... right? Maybe he finally went insane from no real human interaction for over seven years? No, wait, he definitely heard a real voice. There was someone in his house.

He slowly turned around to face the living room. There he saw Ozpin and Glynda, sitting down on his couch. (Y/N) saw them both stare at him, Ozpin grinning as he held his cane while Glynda was glaring at the boy.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhh..."

(Y/N)'s brain turned off. Out of everything he could have expected for seven years on who would eventually find him in the forest, he wasn't expecting a weird white haired man with a cane and a busty blonde woman with a crop.

Already, it was a pretty strange day.

But before he could process it all, Ozpin spoke up to draw his attention.

"So, would you like to welcome us?"

At the sound of his voice, (Y/N) shook himself off from his trance to respond.

"O-Oh, hi. The name's (Y/N). Welcome to my home..."

"Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy. This is my associate Glynda Goodwitch, headmistress at the academy."

The moment he finished speaking, (Y/N) couldn't believe what he was hearing. The headmaster and headmistress of Beacon Academy? What were they doing out in Bronzeleaf?

"The headmaster and the headmistress... From Beacon Academy..."

"Yes. Indeed."

(Y/N)stared at both of them, confused as hell. He knew the history behind the academies and that Beacon was supposedly the best academy out there, but he never expected that the people that ran the school would find him.

And as he watched, Ozpin kept his grin as always, but while Glynda's glare never changed, he could tell it was getting worse.

Curiosity getting the better of him, (Y/N) decided to ask exactly what they were doing there.

"Alright. I'll bite. Why did you come here?"

"Well, I think you can figure that one out."

(Y/N) stared at Ozpin. He had a suspicion on why he came, but it didn't make any sense to him. Why, out of all people, would they travel to the middle of nowhere just to find him?

"... why do you want me to enroll?"

The moment (Y/N) said this, Ozpin's grin got wider while Glynda's glare changed targets. She assumed that was the reason they traveled here, but she didn't agree with the decision. There were perfectly capable huntsmen and huntresses in training already. They didn't need to come to him specifically.

Ozpin ignored this glare, however, focusing his attention to (Y/N).

"Well, I have a feeling you could become an amazing huntsman. A... hero if you will."

At the mention of the word 'hero', (Y/N) flinched in surprise, not unnoticed to Ozpin.

He hooked him.

"You see, I've met a lot of people in my day. But even with that, I've met only a few great 'heroes' if you will."

Ozpin stood up from the couch and walked closer, making his gaze even stronger towards (Y/N).

"And I see a lot of them in you."

(Y/N) stared at Ozpin's eyes, watching the sincere look of the man in front of him. It was... off putting, yet strangely comforting. It was like he felt he didn't do this often, but this was an exception.

And confirming that suspicion was the expression Glynda made. She couldn't believe Ozpin, someone who would be calculating at almost all times, would be emotional with a kid he met less than ten minutes ago.

But those thoughts from the two soon disappeared, as Ozpin gazed down in memory of the past.

"Sadly, the few I met are gone now... But the past is in the past. We need to head towards the future."

Shaking his head a bit, Ozpin looked back up and placed his hand on (Y/N)'s shoulder.

"So, I want to help you achieve great things. Unlock your full potential."

Ozpin paused, putting emphasis on this one sentence.

"Become a true hero."

In (Y/N)'s mind, time froze. His entire life, he always dreamed of becoming a hero. To save people from danger, and take it for himself.

And now, it's right in front of him.

Ozpin smiled, backing off before raising his hand.

"So I must ask, do you want to join my school?"

(Y/N) stared back at Ozpin. He couldn't believe a word that Ozpin was saying. It sounded too good to be true.

He couldn't trust it yet. He had to go over the facts. He needed to think about what he was about to do before regretted it.

On one hand, he had never been to a city before, let alone a school. He had gone to the nearby town a few times, but that was purely to gather materials for his home. He would be a fish out of water there.

Also, he worked very hard on his new home. He spent around seven years in the forest, working on improving his life little by little. If he left, all his effort would have been wasted. Everything he'd done to this point would have been for naught.

Overall, it was a better idea to say no.

But there was his stories. His wonderful stories about heroes saving the day, gathering allies, making friends, finding love... This was his opportunity. To be a hero like them.

And the amount of people he could help. The training he could accomplish. The knowledge he could acquire...

The ability to find Anvil again.

And in a single moment, a war raged in his mind for the decision. Logic vs emotions, dreams vs realism, possibility vs certainty...

Until it all ceased.

He reached his conclusion.

"... alright. I'm in."

* * *

"WOAH!"

(Y/N) looked down, seeing the entirety of Vale underneath him. The buildings, the lights, the colors... it was all so much for (Y/N).

Back in the facility, he would have only dreamed of a sight like this. But now he was gone... and this was his new reality.

(Y/N) was sitting in a Bullhead across from Glynda and Ozpin. They were heading to Beacon Academy, giving (Y/N) a temporary space at the school in preparation for the initiation exam. They would also try to integrate him to society, however hard that might be.

But while (Y/N) would stare at the sight in amazement, Glynda and Ozpin simply waited for the airship to land. They've seen the sight over a thousand times, so it wasn't anything special to see for them.

That didn't mean they were stoic, however.

For example, Glynda was in an extremely annoyed mood at what they had to do. It took them hours to find this kid, and they didn't know just how strong he was anyway. He might just be only as good as a huntsman, not the mythical strength people described him as.

On the other hand, Ozpin was gleeful that he found (Y/N). The last four he met, like (Y/N), were all amazing to him. It was like meeting him for the first time again.

It did suck that he was wrong four times now, though.

But while Ozpin and Glynda were too focused on what happened hours ago, (Y/N) was focused on the present.

And there was something very interesting underneath all of them.

"Whoa. Look at her fight."

Both Ozpin and Glynda immediately looked down, trying to spot whatever (Y/N) saw.

And while they could barely make out the details, but it looked like a girl in a red outfit fighting with a giant scythe against a group of men.

At the very least, they could say it was a stranger sight to find.

"What's that girl doing down there? Doesn't she know she could get hurt?"

"Well it appears she's trying to stop a robbery. Glynda, can you..."

" _*sigh*_ I'm on it."

The moment she heard Ozpin ask, Glynda immediately stood up and headed towards the side of the airship. There, she opened the door and fell out, trying to join the battle.

(Y/N) didn't notice though.

He was too focused on the spectacle in front of him.

The girl was fantastic. She used her scythe to spin, making strong and fast attacks at her victims. She used every part of it's versatility in her fight. Too (Y/N), it looked like near perfection.

(Y/N) loved every second of the fight. The girl in front of her acted like she had complete control of the fight, only emphasized by the damage she was dealing to her attackers. And every moment the airship approached her, he felt his heart beat with excitement in his veins.

But while he lowered, he noticed something else in the area.

There was another Bullhead, with the leader boarding on as the red clothed girl chased him.

And then, before he could even realize it, he saw a single red dust crystal be shot in front of the girl.

His heart dropped before he could process what happened. She couldn't die like that... She was too great to die like that...

But thankfully, someone saved her just in time.

Right before the crystal had exploded, burning the girl in a fiery cinder, Glynda dropped in front of her for protection. She used a strange sigil, most likely from her semblance, to stop the attack, giving her the opportunity to retaliate.

Glynda fired back at the man, using the surrounding debris as a stream of attacks against the ship. And before the ship could react, she sent the rubble to the sky, using ice dust to create an icy storm above it.

But it wouldn't just take the attack and leave. As a matter of fact, it fought back, sending a fiery attack in retaliation towards Glynda's onslaught.

The attack was powerful. Much more powerful than anything that could be created by dust. It was created by something else, but they couldn't tell what.

And as Glynda blocked the shot with her semblance, the embers around her changed. The small cinders became fiery pillars, almost magically, trying to burn the woman alive.

But with her skills, Glynda expertly dodged the onslaught and used the damage to create another stream of debris.

Before it came, however, the figure from within fired at the spear of debris, attempting to slow it down. But Glynda used that opportunity to split the attack into three separate parts, allowing the attack to surround her enemy completely.

But that all came to an end as the figure focused on themselves and created a large sphere of fire to burn the attack around them. The damage was great, and spectacular with how it turned out.

And like that, the enemies fled from the crime, unable to be stopped. However, that doesn't mean no one tried, as the girl attempted to shoot at the airship, but ultimately failed, resulting in another flame attack to be blocked by Glynda.

The entire fight made (Y/N) so amazed that he didn't realize how close he was to the ground. He was too focused on the girl to be thinking about that at all.

But Ozpin didn't feel the same, as he immediately got out of his seat and headed to the airship's door.

"Well, it looks like you aren't the only one enrolling today."

(Y/N) didn't pay attention though. How could he. After seeing that girl, he realized something when he joined the school.

He found real heroes.

* * *

As Glynda confronted the girl, (Y/N) stood outside of the interrogation room. But even though it was easy for him to overhear, he paid little attention to their conversation. Privacy and whatnot.

During this time, (Y/N) was using the scroll Ozpin gave to him. On the device, (Y/N) watched the fight again. And again. And again. And again. And again.

The spins, the jumps, the strikes, the shots; It was all so easily seen. It displayed her power far greater than watching from an airship hundreds of feet in the air.

The only question was...

How the hell did he get those angles?

But the moment he thought that question, (Y/N) overheard a couple of words from the interrogation room.

"You want to come to my school?"

"More than anything."

"Hmmph"

"Well ok."

And that.

That was all (Y/N) needed to become joyful.

How couldn't he be? That girl was amazing. And he would get to meet her at the school. It was amazing.

The girl walked happily out of the interrogation room. Ozpin and Glynda interrogating her was... interesting to say the least. But to say the most? It was like a dream come true.

She just got into Beacon Academy. She could become a huntress. She could go and be like her mom...

All of that was enough to make her freak out at the door.

While noticing (Y/N) sitting directly to her left, staring at her the entire time.

(Y/N) was... surprised, to say the least. He understood why she was excited, but this was just... weird.

But he wasn't really one to talk. He's the one that lived in a random cabin he found in the middle of nowhere.

Eventually, after what seemed like an entire minute passing, the girl's emotional roller coaster ended, letting her take note of where she was.

She blushed heavily, thinking to herself on how bad it would be if someone saw her.

" _Oh thank god no one watched._ "

Then she turned her head to the right, locking eyes with (Y/N).

"..."

"..."

At that moment, all they could do was stare as embarrassment flushed through their faces.

This was awkward to say the least.

So breaking attention, or more actively avoiding it, the girl transformed into a storm of petals, heading towards the door at rapid speed.

It left only a second for (Y/N) to respond, not wanting her to leave.

"Wait!"

Yet it was already too late.

The girl had already left, with only rose petals left from where she came.

Typical.

"God that was bad... What was I thinking? Staring at her like that? Now she'll hate me and we'll have to see each other in school. Oh god, what have I done... _"_

"Oh, I don't think it will be that bad."

Hearing those words, (Y/N) looked back, seeing Ozpin stand in front of the doorway with Glynda close behind.

"O-Oh, did you see all of that?"

"Well, only the end of it."

"Oh..."

(Y/N) stared at the ground, too embarrassed to talk any more. Ozpin heard him, the girl ran away, and he has to go to school knowing this? Not the best situation for him.

"Well, as you heard, that girl, Ruby Rose, has enrolled in Beacon Academy. She will most likely be taking the initiation with you."

"Ruby Rose. Huh."

But even though he spoke, (Y/N) kept looking down. He couldn't bring his eyes up to meet Ozpin's.

His mind went to the worst place imaginable. All that was filled was hatred and despair, bringing him down more and more. It was something you couldn't describe fully. Just feel it.

And when Ozpin and Glynda took notice of this, they both got simultaneously worried. They didn't expect that this kind of occurrence would have such an effect on him. It was... horrible.

So in an attempt to help him, Ozpin put his hand on (Y/N)'s shoulder and tried to comfort him through the pain.

"(Y/N), I'm sure that when you are at Beacon, everything will be fine. You don't need to worry about anything like that."

Such a line wouldn't work on (Y/N). He was too far gone to change so easily.

But maybe once, he would listen for the tiniest second.

"Do you really think so?"

Ozpin looked more genuinely towards him, giving a caring smile with a nod on his head.

"I promise so."

There were a few things (Y/N) could tell about Ozpin. One of them was his sadistic side, the other being the manipulative side, and another being the caring side.

And he knew that Ozpin wasn't the type of person to promise so weakly.

"Yeah. You're right. Thanks."

(Y/N) picked his head up slightly higher, happier to hear Ozpin assure him so much.

Ozpin, on the other hand, grinned joyfully at (Y/N)'s mood revival.

"Now, we should get going. You need to get rest for the night and prepare for next week."

"Alright then. Let's go!"

Trying to bring up his mood, (Y/N) put on his chipper attitude once more.

And with that, he headed to Beacon Academy. Finally.

* * *

After one week, it finally happened.

Beacon Academy was officially opening.

The most prestigious academy in the world was finally accepting new students. People from all across the globe were heading to join the academy.

Dozens of Beacon airships were sending students to the academy. They all had a beautiful aqua coloring, with huge brass windows looking over the city of Vale. And the walls were aligned with the sigil of the academy, two axes crossing each other within a wreath.

It was simply glorious.

But also packed.

Students were lined everywhere, making conversations as they enjoyed the view. Some of the best of the best were in there, trying to find allies and competition from within the vehicle. They were all preparing for the initiation exam they would have to take tomorrow, and they wanted any advantage they could get.

Except within these ships, two sisters were the exception to this attitude, with one of them squeezing the life out of the other.

Blonde "Oh, I can't believe my baby sister's coming to Beacon with me. This is the best day ever!"

"Please stop."

These were Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long, half-sisters who were trying to join Beacon Academy. Ruby was the girl who fought the robbers and was invited by Ozpin himself. Yang, on the other hand, took an exam to try and join the prestigious school.

Two sisters together, ready to become huntresses.

As long as they didn't accidentally kill each other first.

But thankfully, after hugging for only a few seconds, Yang eventually released Ruby from her embrace, letting her sister breathe.

"But I'm so proud of you!"

"Really, sis, it was nothing."

Denying the claim entirely, Yang shook her head in excitement.

"What do you mean? It was incredible! Everyone at Beacon is going to think you're the bee's knees."

"I don't want to be the 'bee's knees', ok? I don't want to be any kind of knees! I just want to be a normal girl with normal knees."

As she said this, Ruby started to pout, getting more and more annoyed at Yang's overreaction.

Yang, however, didn't pick up on this fact, leaving her simply too confused towards her sister.

"What's with you? Aren't you excited?"

"Of course I'm excited... I just... I got moved ahead two years. I don't want people to think I'm special or anything."

Hearing the nervousness behind Ruby's voice, Yang immediately grinned and walked over to put her arm around Ruby's neck.

"But you are special."

Ruby looked up, a soft smile on her face as she listened to Yang trying to encourage her.

But before any more could be said, the news blared from within the airship, drawing their attention.

"The robbery was led by nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick, who continues to evade authorities. If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Vale Police Department. Back to you, Lisa."

The news reporter then changed the mugshots of Roman Torchwick to images of a faunus protest behind the reporter.

"Thank you, Cyril. In other news, this Saturday's Faunus Civil Rights protest turned dark when members of the White Fang disrupted the ceremony. The once peaceful organization has now disrupted..."

But before the feed could continue, the projection changed to a holographic image of Glynda, leaving everyone to focus their attention on her.

"Hello, and welcome to Beacon!"

"Who's that?"

"My name is Glynda Goodwitch."

"Oh."

Glynda kept on talking about the academy and how the students would become huntresses and huntsmen, but Ruby didn't listen. She didn't listen at all after the mere sight of her. The image of Glynda played back so many scenes from last week when they first met.

And more importantly, it kept on replaying that scene with the boy staring at her, over, and over again.

" _Well, good thing that won't happen again. I would freak if I ever see that guy again._ "

* * *

"WHY DO I ALWAYS GET LOST!?"

That's right. After seven years and staying a week at Beacon Academy, (Y/N) still could never figure out where he was going. It was a bane of his he could never get rid of.

But at least he got a nice view while he was there. With his new clothes to boot too.

When he woke up that morning, (Y/N) decided to ditch the red and black for the day. Didn't match with the academy's color scheme. Thankfully, Ozpin gave him the Lien to buy more clothes, so he definitely wasn't in short supply.

So with that influx of money, he decided to at least match where he would be at for years on end. He wore a bright blue shirt underneath a white hoodie with black jeans and navy blue tennis shoes. It made him almost blend in with the academy for how much it matched.

But if anything, that was a compliment. Beacon Academy was beautiful. The entire thing was extravagant, full of high tech and amazing medieval modern style. It was amazing to see, and being there was just as good.

But with all of this stuff, it wasn't hard to see how large the place was. You could potentially take every single applicant that went to the school and there would be still some room to spare. That was how large the entire place was.

But beacon academy wasn't the only beautiful part. The outside matched it just as much, maybe even greater. Beacon Academy was placed on the edge of a cliff to a huge river. The roads to the main building were surrounded by small streams, almost all of them originating from the forests around the academy. And finally the ocean gave a gorgeous contrast to the overarching green and brown in the environment.

The view was distracting.

So distracting that he didn't realize he was at the arrival point for the school.

And that the dozens of airships were already there.

So the moment he did realize, it was already too late to move out of the way.

And all he could think was one thing.

".. _. So this is how I die. Called it."_

That was the last thing he thought before the airships arrived.

With the thousands of students trampling over him, taking him away from the platform.

* * *

After only twenty minutes, (Y/N) finally woke up from his rest. All of those people... a very unpleasant experience. Even after awaking he wasn't able to think after an entire three minutes.

" _God... What the hell just happened?_ "

The moment he was able to see again, (Y/N) took notice of where he was. The students, although fast, didn't move him far from where he was. He was only a few feet away from the airships, sitting on the bench nearby.

And that's when he remembered what happened with the students.

" _Damn. Should have expected that._ "

But as he thought this, he finally looked up from his seat.

Letting his mood drop in a millisecond at the sight.

He saw the hundreds and hundreds of students together. They were all Smiling. Talking. Playing. Things he always wanted to do but never got to.

They all looked amazing together.

Then there was him.

The outcast.

Just like back at the facility.

And when he saw that, it reminded him of the van. After that outburst. The ride to the forest. Embarrassed. Anxious. Disappointed in himself.

" _What am I doing... I shouldn't be here... I can't do anything here... Find Anvil? Be a hero? Yeah right... I should just leave while I have the chance..._ "

With all of that in mind, (Y/N) stared at the ground. His own thoughts got to him. And he was giving up before he could even start.

That was, until he heard that sound.

"What were you doing!?"

The moment that voice rang out, (Y/N) turned to look where it came from. He needed to know if anyone was hurt. He couldn't just leave after hearing something like that.

But what he saw shocked him.

It was the girl from that fight! Ruby Rose! He finally found her again! Maybe he could fix what happened last week.

Except he was going to leave...

But that would come later. He needed to watch what happened before he jumped in. It was better and safer that way.

So staring at the scene in front of him, (Y/N) noticed that Ruby was laying on the ground, suitcases all around her. In front of her was an angry girl in white, glaring directly at her.

Ruby spoke first while standing back up, hoping to defuse the situation.

"Uh, sorry."

Angered at what Ruby said, the girl in white got even angrier, yelling more and more loudly as time went on.

"Sorry?! Do you have any idea of the damage you could have caused?"

The entire thing was such a scene that everyone around them were watching at that moment, some of them laughing at Ruby's mistake.

But Ruby wasn't focused on that. She just wanted to fix her mistake.

So holding up the case, she tried to talk with the girl. Except it all became a small whine from the girl's constant anger in front of her.

"Uuhhh..."

"Give me that!"

The girl snatched the case from Ruby, opening it to reveal its contaminants.

That's how people knew just how dangerous that mistake was.

And how much stuff the girl brought.

The entire case was full of dust, all different kinds in small vials. Fire, ice, gravity, plant; You name it, it was there. (Y/N) never seen that much dust at once. Except at the dust store he saw last week where Ruby fought. That didn't count though.

It made him more jealous than anything else. He ran out of dust a long time ago in the forest. He only recently restocked thanks to Ozpin.

So it was strange to him to see the girl taking a vial and shaking it haphazardly in front of Ruby.

"This is Dust - mined and purified from the Schnee Quarry."

And at that point, (Y/N)'s mind went a million miles per hour.

" _Schnee? Haven't heard that name in... holy shit it's been seven years. Damn. Time flies._ "

(Y/N) knew of the Schnees thanks to the facility. Many fauna that were sent to the facility were actually from the Schnee Dust Company, sent in hopes of creating guards for the quarries.

All of them without any consent of course.

And based on the stories he heard, (Y/N) knew he wouldn't be a big fan of the CEO.

That wasn't important though. Right now, watching Ruby was more important.

"Uuuhhhh..."

"What are you, brain-dead?"

The girl got closer and closer to Ruby, shaking some of the dust onto her face.

"Dust! Fire, water, lightning, energy!"

"I... I know..."

All of this dust made Ruby start coughing in front of the girl due to all of the dust. She was getting too much on her face and couldn't control it.

But this was left unnoticed to the girl in white. As well as many others as they watched the girl shake more and more dust into Ruby's face.

But (Y/N) saw.

" _Uh oh._ "

And then, in rapid succession, a single scene was made from that entire occurrence.

"Are you even listening to me? Is any of this sinking in? What do yo-"

"Look out!"

At that exact moment, Ruby sneezed towards the girl, causing an explosion of fire, ice, and lighting in her direction. It was a dangerous attack, going after many factors at once towards the target.

But as the explosion cleared up, the girl was no longer in front of Ruby.

Instead it was (Y/N).

Completely covered in ash.

The explosion didn't hurt much to (Y/N). He dealt with worse over his seven years. But all of that ash was far more annoying than anything he experienced.

Opening his eyes, (Y/N) saw his entire body become covered in soot, making his movement feel rigid. So, in a flash, he shook off all of that ash to clean himself off.

However, a fair chunk of that ash got into his lungs, so talking was difficult to do right afterwards.

" _*cough*_ Hey _*cough*_ you _*cough*_ okay? _*cough*_ "

But after getting all of that ash off of him, he stared around at where he was. He was standing directly in front of both Ruby and the girl in an effort to protect them.

And both were completely dumbfounded. Whether it was from embarrassment or shock, he couldn't tell. Either way, it made him laugh a bit.

But it took an entire minute for Ruby to even process what just happened in front of her.

"Yo-yo-yo-your that boy! Fr-fr-from last week!"

" _*chuckle*_ It appears so."

Seeing the bafflement on Ruby's face, (Y/N) couldn't help but laugh. Everything that happened beforehand was a blur to him as he watched Ruby's reaction to everything happening.

But while one laughed without a care in the world at the other having another mental breakdown, a voice interrupted their thoughts.

"Hey! I'm still here you know!"

Ruby and (Y/N) turned around. There they saw the girl still standing behind (Y/N), impatiently waiting for them to end. She no longer held the dust in her hand, but that didn't mean much to him.

She was mad. And you didn't exactly want to get in her way.

But when Ruby saw the girl, all she could do was be apologetic and worried.

"I'm really, really sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen."

It was at that point that (Y/N) knew the conversation wasn't going to be pretty.

So without realizing what he was doing, (Y/N) cut off Weiss, trying to apologize for Ruby.

"I'm so sorry for what just happened with my friend here. All the dust got into her face and she couldn't control it."

(Y/N) bowed slightly, wanting to make sure that the girl was no longer angry at either of them.

This worked better than expected, defusing the anger in the girl's voice and causing her to smile instead.

"Well, at least someone here has some manners. Thank you for trying to protect me there, but you shouldn't have worried. I could've handled it."

But as the girl spoke, Ruby was no longer paying attention to what was happening. She toned out after hearing a specific word from (Y/N).

"Fr-friend?"

But even though it wasn't hard to miss, (Y/N) didn't notice, too focused on the girl in white.

"* _chuckle*_ I bet you could, Miss..."

"Schnee. Weiss Schnee. Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company."

At that moment, (Y/N) stopped speaking. Instead, he changed his direction to where the voice came from, trying to spot whoever said that.

And there, in front of him, was a girl in black and white, wearing a bow on the top of her long black hair.

And as she approached the group, she held up the vial Weiss was shaking earlier, hoping to get more of their attention.

But that didn't matter to Weiss. She was too focused on the fact that someone recognized her.

"Finally! Some recognition!"

"The same company infamous for its controversial labor forces and questionable business partners."

And that's when the pride turned to anger, with the girl in black telling about the potential problems with the Schnee Dust Company.

This simple act caused turmoil immediately, with Weiss being flushed in embarrassment as Ruby snickered in delight.

So before Weiss could say anything, (Y/N) added himself into the conversation, hoping to end the fight before it started.

"Well, she's just the heiress. I don't think she would have that much control of the company. If anyone, you should blame the CEO, not the daughter."

And it was at that moment that Weiss looked back at (Y/N), shocked on how much he was doing. She wasn't expecting a random stranger to defend her twice in one day.

The girl in black on the other hand kept a questioning gaze on Weiss.

She didn't buy it for a second.

But after a few seconds of staring at (Y/N), Weiss remembered exactly what the girl just said to her. And in the blink of an eye, her embarrassment changed to annoyance as she grabbed the vial out of the girl's hand.

Without a moment being wasted, Weiss then left the scene with her helpers around her, moving the luggage to wherever she went.

But before she got too far, Ruby ran towards Weiss in hopes she could hear her apology.

"I promise I'll make this up to you!"

Ruby yelled out the apology, waving her hand in hopes of getting her attention. But this ultimately failed, resulting in a sigh instead.

" _*sigh*_ At least I'm not the only one having a rough first day... So, what's..."

But as Ruby turned back towards where the girl in black was, she was met with an empty space.

The vacant sight lowered her mood immediately, making her fall to the ground once more.

"Welcome to Beacon..."

(Y/N) looked down at Ruby.

He hated seeing her feel that way. Someone like her should never have a face like that. It should only be reserved to people like him.

So, in an attempt to help when no one else did, he walked over to her and sat down.

"Hey. At least you made a friend today."

And at that moment, Ruby's head flew straight up, looking towards (Y/N).

"Really? You mean it?!"

Seeing her mood change back into the happy, hopeful self, (Y/N) couldn't help but smile in delight.

"Heh, yeah. The name's (Y/N). Nice to meet you."

And from the simplicity of the greeting, Ruby couldn't help but smile back.

"Ruby. Nice to meet you too."

And that was one of the happiest moments in his life. Where he got his first ever friend. And it was the girl who fought those robbers. Who would have guessed?

It made him laugh at how only a few minutes earlier, he was thinking about leaving the academy.

How the most random of things can change your opinion so fast.

It made him think that it had to be fate. Getting lost, finding the airships, being tossed to the side, and eventually seeing Ruby fight Weiss.

There was no other explanation.

So, without anything else, (Y/N) looked up to the sky in wonder.

And he had one last thought.

" _Well. This will be interesting._ "


	4. Beacon Academy

"All I'm saying is that motion sickness is a much more common problem then people let on."

Ruby giggled in enjoyment, loving the embarrassment on the other boy's face

This was Jaune Arc. Otherwise known as vomit boy because of what happened at the airship.

You see, right after (Y/N) and Ruby became friends, Jaune walked over to talk with the two of them. They hit it off almost instantly, and then decided to stay together while they were at Beacon.

Now? They were walking around the academy, looking for wherever they had to go.

"Look, I'm sorry! Vomit Boy was the first thing that came to mind."

"Oh, yeah? What if I called you Crater Face?"

"Hey, that explosion was an accident!"

Annoyed at how the conversation was turning, Jaune tried to give a more proper introduction to Ruby and (Y/N).

"Listen, the name's Jaune Arc! Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue - ladies love it!"

The moment Jaune said this, Ruby stared skeptically at him, not believing it in the slightest.

"Do they?"

And as Ruby said this, Jaune's mood quickly shifted from confident to hesitant.

"They will! Well, I-I hope they will. My mom always says that... Never mind."

Ruby giggled as he finished talking, enjoyed by the mannerisms of Jaune. But that soon fell into an awkward silence, with no one knowing what to say next.

Meanwhile, (Y/N) remained silent. Seeing Jaune and Ruby talk with each other... have fun...

He didn't want to be rude.

Seeing the opportunity arise, however, (Y/N) tried to insert himself into the conversation.

"So... What type of weapons do you guys have?"

The second the word 'weapons' was mentioned, Ruby shot up.

"OOH! Let me!"

Not wasting a heartbeat, Ruby moved a few feet away, making sure that Jaune and (Y/N) weren't too close to her. There, looking around the premise, she prepared herself to unleash her weapon.

And then, she pulled out the red gun from her waist, spinning it into a scythe.

The scythe was considerably taller than Ruby, being around six feet in height. It was also extremely heavy, weighing much more than what would be normal for a girl her size to carry. And, while not noticeable at face value, tons of mechanisms were in place for it to be able to transform.

Overall, extremely strong and complicated.

Ruby held the scythe to her side and posed with it.

"Ta da!"

And after watching all of that, (Y/N) couldn't help but be impressed. He never really got a good look at her scythe before, so seeing it so close was absolutely amazing.

Jaune had a similar reaction, although more vocal and shocked compared to his.

"Whoa! Is that a scythe?"

Ruby looked at the two, proud of their reactions.

"It's also a customizable high-impact sniper rifle!"

"A-wha..."

"A gun."

"Oh. That's cool."

(Y/N) nodded in agreement, leaving them only a second before realizing what he was doing.

Not even seeing him move, (Y/N) suddenly appeared next to Ruby, examining the weapon completely over. He touched every nook and cranny he could find, trying to learn more and more about what he was seeing.

Ruby was not expecting this in the slightest though. She flushed in embarrassment with how close he was around her.

Only for it to be unnoticed by (Y/N), who continued to circle around the weapon.

"This is a really nice Scythe. Focuses on the damage you could deal and utilizes the flaws of each form. It fits you."

"O-oh. Thank you."

"Did you name it?"

"Y-yeah. Crescent Rose."

Happy to hear that, (Y/N) turned his head away from the scythe.

Only for it to be met by Ruby's blushing face, barely a few inches a part.

Realization from what he just did kicked in. It made him immediately backed off out of fear.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry. Didn't realize how close I was to you."

Standing stiff, (Y/N) grabbed his arm and fiddled in embarrassment.

"I kind of, maybe, slightly, have a fascination with people and their weapons."

And at that moment, everything changed.

For in the briefest of moments...

All of Ruby's embarrassment turned into excitement.

"Really?! Me too!"

Shocked to hear that from Ruby, (Y/N) looked back up from his spot, staring at her in pure bewilderment.

Out of a combination of enjoyment and surprise, the two of them couldn't take their eyes off of each other for minutes on end.

Only to be ended by one sound. 

"Ahem."

And it was at that moment, both Ruby and (Y/N) turned away from each other.

(Y/N)/" _ That was embarrassing. _ "

Realizing that they left Jaune out of the conversation from their moment, Ruby calmed herself down and turned her head to Jaune.

"So Jaune, what do you have?"

"Oh, I uh... got this sword!

Jaune unsheathed the sword from his hip, showing it to the other two. He didn't do anything as grand as Ruby, but simply lifted it into the air.

The sword was basic, being a blade with a yellow hilt and a blue handle. It was the antithesis of Crescent Rose. His weapon was simple and classic while Ruby's was mechanical and brand new.

"Ooooohh!"

"Yeah, and I've got a shield too!"

Jaune lifted his scabbard and it changed into a shield.

The shield matched a similar design to the sword, being a mixture of white and yellow on the front of it.

Ruby walked up to the shield and touched it. She wanted to know more about his stuff, so she thought getting closer might help.

"So, what do they do?"

After letting go of the shield, it immediately changed back into a scabbard, fumbling around Jaune's hands. It went all over the place, before eventually landing back into Jaune's arms.

While putting away his scabbard, Jaune answered.

"The shield gets smaller, so when I get tired of carrying it, I can just... put it away..."

"But... wouldn't it weigh the same?"

"Yeah... it does."

As he answered, Jaune felt more and more embarrassed. Ruby brought out her scythe with such pizazz and all he could do was just hold a sword in the air. Great.

He was about to resheathe his sword, but before he could, (Y/N) walked up to Jaune.

"May I hold it?"

"Huh? Sure."

Jaune handed over the sword to (Y/N), placing it gently in his arms.

And before any more could be done, (Y/N) ran his hand across the blade, staring at every fine detail.

"This is... amazing."

As (Y/N) said that, Jaune looked dumbfounded.

"Really? You think so?"

(Y/N) grinned at Jaune before going on a monologue.

"Of course I do. This sword is wonderful. Unlike Ruby's, this weapon has so much experience behind it. The craftsmanship is wonderful, creating an amazingly tempered blade. And it lasted long enough to still be a viable weapon to this day. You know that whoever created this was proud of his work..."

Before he could continue his rant, (Y/N) looked up and saw the stunned faces of both Jaune and Ruby.

At the recognition, (Y/N) became sheepish.

"O-oh. S-sorry. I love swords. I think they're beautiful."

Once he said that, (Y/N) got more and more enthusiastic as he monologued on his love of swords.

"I mean, can you think of any other weapon with such a large history behind it? No matter where you go on Remnant, there is always some legend passed down throughout time about legendary swords used by heroes. Even in history books, the warrior king is depicted wielding a sword. It's because swords perfectly represent courage and power. They can only be used when in close range, a dangerous area for soldiers to fight in. So to use a sword masterfully at all times would make you legendary. They are just... incredible!"

(Y/N) suddenly stopped. He was planning on talking more, but then he realized how long he went on for.

He looked back at the two, both in slack jaw at how long (Y/N) could talk about swords.

"S-sorry... I-It's a force of habit. I-I talk a lot on my own..."

"I see..."

Looking down out of embarrassment, (Y/N) asked one last question.

"I'm sorry for all the questions, but... what's its name?"

"It's Crocea Mars..."

"Ah... I see..."

Staring down at the ground, (Y/N) made a full realization of what he just did.

" _ Why am I acting like this? I never do this sort of thing. Now I made this entirely uncomfortable. Good job me. _ "

This entire time, Ruby was staring in awe at (Y/N). If someone could talk that much about swords, then the two of them together would be talking for weeks on end. The only thing is, (Y/N) didn't seem like talking at all.

Ruby saw the distress on (Y/N)'s face and tried to alleviate the awkwardness by talking with Jaune.

"So why'd you go up to us? Back in the courtyard."

"Oh!.. Well, why not? My mom always says, 'Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet.'"

"Hmm... Hey, where are we going?"

At the mention of where they were, the three of them look around, (Y/N)'s head popping back up.

That's when they realized that they were all alone.

"I don't know. I was just following you."

"Well I was just following (Y/N)."

They both looked at (Y/N), expecting an answer out of him.

(Y/N) stared back at the two and raised his arms up.

"Hey, I shouldn't be reprimanded for your bad decisions."

Disappointed with the answer, Jaune and Ruby's heads fell down.

"Y-You think there might be a directory? Maybe a food court? Some kind of recognizable landmark?"

Ruby giggled at the questions Jaune asked.

"Is, uh... Is that a 'no'?"

"That's a 'no'."

* * *

After walking for a quarter of an hour, the trio finally found themselves in front of Beacon's auditorium.

The building was a dome, with the colors of the school surrounding it to create an intricate design. There were windows hundreds of feet tall, combing with the pattern to create a perfect combination between modern and medieval.

The inside, on the other hand, was fairly standard, with the only eye catching appeal being the background behind the stage. People were lining up on the ground, with a few others going upstairs to sit down on the benches. Everything looked pretty though.

As the three of them walked in, looking around for a space to stand, Ruby heard a voice.

"Ruby! Over here! I saved you a spot!"

Ruby looked over to the voice, seeing Yang waving at her from within the crowd.

Ruby turned around and spoke to Jaune and (Y/N) before leaving.

"Oh! Hey, I-I gotta go! I'll see you after the ceremony!"

While walking away, Jaune reached his arm out in hopes to stop her from leaving.

"Hey, wait!"

But it was too late, Ruby disappeared within the crowd before Jaune could stop her.

"* _ sigh* _ Great. Where am I supposed to find another nice, quirky girl to talk to?!""

(Y/N) walked up to Jaune, patting him on the back.

"Eh. It's nothing to worry about. We'll see her later. And besides, how hard can it be to find someone else that fits your... criteria."

Jaune nodded his head as (Y/N) spoke to him.

"Yeah. We should go find somewhere to stand."

"Yeah. Let's go."

And at that point, the two walked away from their spot, waiting for Ozpin to give his speech.

Leaving (Y/N) with only one thought left in his mind.

" _ I really hope I find my room after this. _ "

* * *

After Ruby left the two's sight, she stood next to Yang. She was irritated beyond belief, but would still go over to Yang in frustration.

It was so easily noticeable that Yang knew she had to ask.

"How's your first day going, little sister?"

Ruby's gaze focused in on Yang. She immediately spoke to her about what happened.

"You mean since you  _ ditched _ me and I  _ exploded _ ?"

"Yikes! Meltdown already?"

"No, I  _ literally _ exploded a hole in front of the school! And there was some fire, and I think some ice...?"

Yang looked at Ruby, skeptical at what she was implying.

"Are you being sarcastic?"

" _ *scoff*  _ I wish! I tripped over some crabby girl's luggage, and then she yelled at me, and then I sneezed, and then I exploded, and then she yelled at me again, and I felt really,  _ really _ bad, and I just wanted her to stop yelling at me!"

While she ranted over what just happened, she didn't realize the figure listening in on the conversation, getting perpetually angrier as it continued.

And as she ended, the figure spoke.

" **You** ."

Ruby jumped into Yang's arms at the voice, closing her eyes in fear.

"Oh God, it's happening again."

Weiss glared at Ruby, angry at what she just said.

"You're lucky we weren't blown off the side of the cliff! If (Y/N) wasn't there, I might have actually gotten hurt!"

"Oh my god you really exploded."

"It was an accident."

After saying that, Ruby opened her eyes and left Yang's arms. She tried to explain herself to Weiss.

"It was an accident. I swe-."

Before she could continue, however, Weiss pulled out a pamphlet named"Dust for Dummies" in front of Ruby.

"What's this?"

At the question, Weiss read aloud a section from the pamphlet, speaking at a speed difficult to understand.

"TheSchneeDustCompanyisnotresponsibleforanyinjuriesordamagessustainedwhileoperatingaSchneeDustCompanyproduct.Althoughnotmandatory,theSchneeFamilyhighlyencouragestheircustomerstoreadandfamiliarizethemselveswiththiseasytofollowguidetoDustapplicationsandpracticesinthefield."

"Uuhhh..."

"You really want to start making things up to me?"

"Absolutely?"

"Read this, and don't ever speak to me again."

After she handed the pamphlet to Ruby, Weiss was stopped by Yang, asking a question.

"Look, uh, it sounds like you two just got off on the wrong foot. Why don't you start over and try to be friends, ok?"

At the mention of starting over, Ruby looked back up and stored the pamphlet away. She faced Weiss once more, now adopting a more cheerful attitude.

"Yeah! Great idea, sis!"

Ruby took a second to clear out her throat. Then, she held out her hand towards Weiss.

"Hello, Weiss! I'm Ruby! Wanna hang out? We can go shopping for school supplies!"

At the final sentence, Weiss became amused at how Ruby was acting.

She spoke back to her in a mocking tone.

"Yeah! And we can paint our nails and try on clothes and talk about cute boys, like tall, dark, and charming over there!"

Weiss pointed towards (Y/N) standing next to Jaune.

At that moment, (Y/N) hit a fly on his neck. He then looked to his right, noticing Weiss pointing at him.

He waved his hand back at them, keeping a straight face the entire time.

As Weiss saw (Y/N) wave back, her face immediately flushed in embarrassment. She blushed profusely and lowered her hand while turning away from (Y/N).

Ruby didn't seem to notice however, continuing the conversation.

"Wow, really!?"

" **No** ."

Before any more talking could begin, the voice of a man was heard coming from the stage.

The three of them brought their heads up, seeing Professor Ozpin in front of a microphone with Glynda next to him.

Seeing he grabbed everyone's attention, Ozpin spoke up.

"I'll... keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction."

At that point, many people within the auditorium started to whisper amongst each other. Ozpin continued, however, silencing the voices.

"You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

At that, Ozpin decided to leave the stage, letting Glynda take up after him.

"You will gather in the ballroom tonight; tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed."

At that, many of the students started to walk around once more, taking in the view of Beacon. Ruby, Yang, and Weiss, on the other hand, stayed to talk for a short while.

"He seemed kind of... off."

"It's almost like he wasn't even there."

Before any more could be said, Jaune walked over to the three of them, trying to speak with Weiss.

"I'm a natural blond, you know!"

At that comment, Weiss facepalmed and walked away from the auditorium.

And as everyone watched her, no one noticed (Y/N) walking alone.

* * *

" _ *sigh*  _ Dammit."

After the entire event, (Y/N) got lost. Again. Even after everything that happened that day, he still couldn't find his room.

Thankfully, there wasn't much in it. His room wasn't anything special, just a full bed and a desk with a window showing the outside of Beacon, but still, all of his stuff was in there.

It wasn't a lot though. He only brought what was most important to him; his books and weapons. And while his weapons were all inside his locker, all of his books were in his room.

After walking around for a while, instead of finding his room, he found something... strange.

He saw himself in a room full of shirtless men.

" _... This is a weird day. _ "

Looking around for only a few seconds more, (Y/N) realized that this was the ballroom. All of the new students were there. 

It still was weird that 90% of the men were shirtless, but it made some sense now.

And inside the room, (Y/N) heard a familiar voice.

"It's like a big slumber party!"

He turned his head to the right and saw both Yang and Ruby lying next to each other. Both of them were wearing their pajamas; another sight he wasn't expecting to see today.

Yang was lying next to Ruby, using her arm as support for her head. Ruby, on the other hand, had her head faced straight down. She was writing a letter to someone.

At the sound of Yang's voice, Ruby replied quickly as she continued writing.

"I don't think Dad would approve of all the boys, though."

"I know I do.  _ *purr* _ "

Yang glanced at all the shirtless men, loving the sight in front of her. But that quickly changed once Jaune walked into view, wearing his onesie.

Yang groaned at the sight and quickly moved her head to the left.

And at that moment, Yang and (Y/N)'s eyes were locked.

The two stared at each other for a couple of seconds, before (Y/N) awkwardly waved at her.

At that, Yang tapped Ruby's shoulder.

"Hey, Ruby, do you know that guy?"

"Know wh-"

Once Ruby looked up, she saw (Y/N) waving his hand towards her.

Ruby rushed over to (Y/N) and gave him a hug.

"(Y/N)!"

"Oh, uh. Hi again Ruby."

After seeing Ruby rush towards (Y/N), Yang made her way over to the two.

"So... Who's your friend Ruby?"

Realizing Yang was watching her, Ruby blushed profusely and let go of (Y/N).

(Y/N) was unfazed though, looking over to Yang before greeting her.

"The name's (Y/N). Nice to meet ya."

(Y/N) reached his arm out for a fist bump.

Yang was startled by this. Ruby met someone like this? That was new.

Yang grinned and, instead of fist bumping, put her arm around (Y/N)'s neck for a hug.

"Well, nice to meet you too. I'm Yang, Ruby's older sister."

This show of friendliness was unexpected to (Y/N). But instead of questioning it, he went along and grinned back at her.

"Huh. Really now? Wouldn't have guessed it."

"Well, we're half sisters. Different moms."

"Huh. Cool."

As he said this, Yang smiled and checked out (Y/N).

"Well, where did my lil' sister meet someone like you?"

(Y/N) grinned larger once she asked that question.

"Well, I met her in Vale after a robbery, but I became friends with her today after she exploded. Let's just say I didn't make the best first impression."

"Wait, you were the guy that was staring at Ruby?"

At that comment, Ruby's blush became darker, being both embarrassed about what they're talking about and angered about how Yang's acting.

Ruby pulled Yang off of (Y/N), dragging her back to their sleeping bags.

"Ruby, what's the big deal? Can't your older sister just talk with your new friend?"

"NOT LIKE THAT!"

"Hey, you got very close to (Y/N) too. Not that I blame you."

"SHUT UP!!!!"

As they walked back to where they were, (Y/N) decided to follow behind them.

They eventually reached their destination, all of them plopping down. While Yang and (Y/N) continued to talk, Ruby went back to writing her letter.

Seeing this, (Y/N) got curious and asked her about it.

"What you doing over there Ruby?"

"Oh, I'm just writing a letter back to my friends from High School. I promised to tell them about Beacon and how things are going."

Hearing what Ruby said, Yang put on a large grin.

"That's so cuuuute!"

"Shut up!"

Ruby threw a pillow at Yang's face, knocking her back a bit.

"I didn't get to take any of my friends with me to Beacon. It's weird not knowing anyone here."

"Well hey. You met me and Jaune. You at least have two new friends here."

"Weiss I'm pretty sure counts as a negative friend."

"That's not a thing. And besides, that's still plus one friend. I don't see any downsides."

Ruby threw another pillow at Yang's face.

"Look, it's only been one day. Trust me; you've got friends all around you! You just haven't met them yet!"

Before they talked anymore, the sound of a candle being lit caught their intention. What interested them more was the person next to it, however.

It was the girl in black from before. She was sitting only a few feet away from them.

"It's that girl again..."

"Yeah..."

Yang saw the reactions from the two and decided to ask.

"You two know her?"

"Not really. She saw what happened this morning, but left before we could say anything."

As they started talking, (Y/N) stood up and made his way over to the girl. This caught the girls attention, lifting her head from the book.

As (Y/N) got in front of her, his attitude changed. He became calm and colder in a fraction of a second.

"Hey."

"Hey..."

Before they could say any more, however, they were interrupted by Yang dragging Ruby.

Once they arrived, Yang cheerfully started the conversation.

"Hel-looooo! I believe you two may know each other?"

The girl looked over to Ruby.

"Aren't you... that girl that exploded?"

"Uh, yeah! My name's Ruby! But you can just call me Crater... Actually, you can just call me Ruby."

"Ok..."

The girl went back to reading her book, trying to ignore the three of them.

Yang pulled Ruby to the side so they could talk.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't know - help me!"

The two turned back around, smiling.

"So... What's your name?"

" _ *sigh* _ Blake."

"Well, Blake, I'm Yang, Ruby's older sister! I like your bow!"

"Thanks."

"It goes great with your... pajamas!"

"Right..."

It was painfully obvious how annoyed Blake was. This caused Ruby to laugh uncomfortably as Yang continued to speak. (Y/N) wasn't paying attention to the talk, however, being too focused on something else.

"Nice night, don't you think?"

"Yes - it's lovely! Almost as lovely as this book! That I will continue to read. As soon as you leave!"

At that, Yang turned back to Ruby.

"Yeah, this girl's a lost cause."

Before Ruby could talk though, (Y/N) spoke up.

" _ The Man with Two Souls.  _ Good choice."

At that, Blake's head shot up from behind the book. She didn't think he would know it

"You've read it?"

"Yeah. I think it's very interesting seeing the duality between the two souls fighting control over their body. The issue should have been solved if the two were humble enough to understand when they should be allowed to use the body, but that wouldn't have made the book interesting."

Blake was amazed at what (Y/N) said. She didn't expect another lover of the literary world. And hopefully one with her... tastes.

Yang and Ruby were also amazed by (Y/N). They didn't take him as the type to read those sort of books.

"Hey, what's your name?"

"It's (Y/N)."

"Well, (Y/N), what kind of books do you like to read?"

At that question, (Y/N) plopped himself down, sitting next to Blake.

This surprised Blake, as she started blushing soon after.

"I prefer mythology and story books. It's actually why I joined Beacon Academy."

Blake looked back at (Y/N), confused.

"Really? How's that?"

At that comment, (Y/N) looked down, more determined than before.

"... Many of those stories have heroes. People with abilities able to do impossible things. They save the day and get back to their great lives. But I don't want that. I want to make sure that everyone else ends on a good note. I want everyone else to get their happy ending. Even if it ruins mine..."

At that, all three girls went silent. To throw away their own happiness for the sake of others? Sounds like something straight from a comic book.

Before anyone else could, Ruby knocked herself out her trance and spoke up towards (Y/N).

"Well I think you can do it (Y/N)!"

At that moment, (Y/N) looked back at Ruby, shocked.

"Really?... You think I can do it?"

"Of course! I know you could do it if you just try! You're better than me, so you have to be able to do it!"

(Y/N) chuckled at her response.

"Ruby, don't cut yourself short. You're easily better than me. You were the one that stopped that robbery, not me. I just watched..."

"That doesn't matter! Anyone could have stopped a robbery with the right training. But you have the ambition to get through your challenges! I can tell."

At that, (Y/N) stopped talking and stared happily at Ruby.

Yang eventually jumped into the conversation, putting her arm around Ruby.

"Oooh! I'm so proud of my baby sister!"

"Yang!"

At that, (Y/N) and Blake both smiled, happy at the joyful sight they were seeing.

Blake then leaned over to whisper to (Y/N).

"I hope you accomplish your dream too. Just know it won't be easy."

(Y/N) whispered back to her, smiling slightly.

"Thanks. I know."

Before any more words could be said, the sound of stomping was heading towards them as a voice rang out.

"What in the world is going on over here?! Don't you realize some of us are trying to sleep?"

Once Weiss got into view, they all noticed each other.

"Oh, not you again!"

"Shh! Guys, she's right! People are trying to sleep!"

"Oh, now you're on my side!"

"I was always on your side!"

The voices eventually drowned out, as (Y/N) and Blake looked at each other. They then nodded and blew out the light of the candle, darkness enveloping the room.

And the entire time, (Y/N) could only think of one thing.

" _ Why do I keep on acting with them? _ "

* * *

Waking up early was never weird for (Y/N). He had to do it a lot when he lived in the cabin, so it was no surprise that he got up before anyone else.

Well, anyone except Blake. Who was apparently a cat faunus.

He learned about it accidentally. After waking up from the ballroom, (Y/N) looked around and saw Blake. He didn't expect anyone else to be awake, but there she was, reading that book again.

What was more surprising though, was seeing the cat ears on top of her head, being where her bow was earlier.

(Y/N) stared at the ears for only a few seconds before standing up, alerting Blake of his presence.

And when he looked over to Blake, he saw her face full of fear. She was scrambling in her seat, trying to hide her ears while putting on her bow again.

But before she could overreact any more, (Y/N) put his finger against his lips and looked at her.

Blake calmed down at the sign, still placing the bow on top of her head again, while she nodded in understanding.

And after he left, the realization of what just happened kicked in for (Y/N).

" _ Huh. Blake's a faunus. Cool. _ "

While thinking to himself, (Y/N) found himself standing in front of the locker room. Much to his dismay.

" _...I'm never going to find my room. Might as well just get ready early _ ."

When (Y/N) walked into the locker room, the first thing he noticed was how there were still no students there yet. A welcomed sight to him.

(Y/N) walked over to his locker and grabbed his weapons, preparing for the initiation test.

Inside the locker were (Y/N)'s swords and a new bow Ozpin gave him. It was a much more modern bow that fired dust instead of actual arrows. And it felt amazing for him.

Ozpin also provided him with every type of dust imaginable. Fire, Ice, Lightning, Gravity, Hard-light, Rock, Wind, and more were all provided in a small drawer. It looked very similar to the case Weiss had.

" _... Got to thank Ozpin later. _ "

Once he grabbed all of his weapons though, (Y/N) made his way out of the locker room, hoping to find out where to go next.

All the while, one thought kept on making its way into his head.

" _ What was that all about yesterday? _ "

* * *

"I know! We'll have some sort of signal! Like a distress signal!  _ *gasp _ * A  _ secret _ signal so we can find each other in the forest! Can you imitate a sloth?"

"Nora?"

"Yes, Ren?

"I don't think Sloths make a lot of noise."

"...That's why it's perfect! No one will expect a thing."

Let's stop for a second. These are Ren and Nora, huntsman and huntress in training. The two had been friends ever since they were kids, and now, they were joining Beacon Academy together. Hopefully.

The entire day they were talking, eventually reaching the locker room. Everyone was there. All of the new students were there to prepare for initiation, restocking on ammo and dust mostly.

That included Ruby and Yang, who were watching the two.

"Wonder what those two are so worked up about?"

"Oh, who knows?"

Ruby turned her head as she smiled while grabbing everything within her locker.

"So, you seem awfully chipper this morning!"

"Yep! No more awkward small talk or 'getting-to-know-you' stuff. Today, I get to let my sweetheart do the talking."

Ruby stroked Crescent Rose and cooed.

"Well, remember, Ruby, you're not the only one going through initiation. If you wanna grow up, you're gonna have to meet new people and learn to work together."

Ruby looked up, annoyed at what Yang was saying.

"You sound like Dad! Ok, first of all: What does meeting new people have to do with fighting? And secondly: I don't need people to help me grow up! I drink milk!"

Yang looked at Ruby, questioning her.

"But what about when we form teams?"

"Um, I don't know, I... I'll just be on your team or something..."

"Maybe you should try being on someone else's team? Like (Y/N)'s."

"Actually, where is he? I haven't seen him at all this morning."

"No clue..."

* * *

(Y/N) looked down, walking around the campus as he kept on thinking about what happened yesterday.

" _ Why was I so calm with Weiss? Why was I so touchy with Yang? Why was I so quiet with Blake? Why was I so determined with Ruby? _ "

(Y/N) couldn't help but replay these thoughts over and over in his head.

Nothing that he did made sense to him. He knew he was awkward, but he doesn't ramble about swords often. He doesn't usually get close to people, and in fights he would usually stay passive. And to top it all off, he wouldn't randomly go up to a girl and say his name to her.

So why did he do all of that?

" _ Why do I keep on pretending to be someone else with them? _ "

(Y/N)'s confusion only skyrocketed as he fixated on it. He couldn't come up with any answers on his own. It made such little sense.

Because no matter how weird it all was, he didn't doubt he would do something like that. 

He is an awkward person, but rambling is a bit much.

He tries to be friendly to people, but he never got close enough to feel comfortable around them.

He wants to be determined when people need help, but he's too scared to act on it.

And he wants to help those that shouldn't be alone, but he can't ever bring himself to do it.

All of the things he did were something he felt like were normal.

Yet, they weren't.

It was the strangest anomaly to the entire day.

Only topped by what happened next.

"Wait is that... HOLY SHIT! My room!"

* * *

"So, Pyrrha, have you given any thought to whose team you'd like to be on? I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong, well-known individual such as yourself!"

Meanwhile, in the locker room, Weiss confronted Pyrrha about joining her team.

Pyrrha was a tall red haired girl wearing metallic armor all around. She was an overall kind individual that stood confidently with her skill.

But more important then that was her numerous awards from fighting tournaments over the years.

"Hmm... I'm not quite sure. I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may."

"Well... I was thinking maybe we could be on a team together."

"Well, that sounds grand!"

"Great!"

And without anyone realizing it, Weiss was inwardly cackling maliciously.

" _ This will be perfect! The smartest girl in class combined with the strongest girl in class! Together we will be unstoppable! I can see it now! We'll be popular! We'll be celebrities! We'll get perfect grades! Nothing can come between us now! _ "

Before anything else could be said, Jaune interrupted her train of thought.

He slid his way over with a grin on his face.

"You know what else is great? Me. Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you."

Weiss looked at him, annoyed that he interrupted her.

"You again?"

Pyrrha then popped up, putting herself in front of Jaune's view.

"Nice to meet you, Jaune!"

"Yeah, yeah."

Jaune pushed Pyrrha to the side, trying to talk with Weiss.

"So, Weiss, couldn't help but overhear your fondness of me the other day."

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me. I was pointing at (Y/N), not you!"

"Hey, don't worry! No need to be embarrassed! So, been hearing rumors about teams! I was thinking you and me would make a good one! What do you say?"

Pyrrha corrected Jaune, inserting herself into the conversation.

"Actually, I think the teams are comprised of four students each, so-"

"You don't say. Well, hot stuff, play your cards right and maybe you could join up with the winning team."

At that, Weiss went ahead and separated the two before questioning Jaune.

"Jaune, is it? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"

"Not in the slightest, snow angel."

" _ This _ is Pyrrha."

"Hello again!"

"Pyrrha graduated top of her class at Sanctum!"

"Never heard of it."

" _ *scoff* _ She's won the Mistral Region Tournaments four years in a row! A new record!"

"The what?"

Weiss looked at Jaune, annoyed that he didn't recognize Pyrrha. She yelled at him, trying to guess something he might recognize her from.

"She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box!"

At that, Jaune took a step back.

"That's  _ you _ ?! But they only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters!"

Pyrrha smiled back, embarrassed that he remembered her for being on a cereal brand.

"Yeah, it was pretty cool. Sadly, the cereal isn't very good for you."

Weiss went back to Jaune, trying to get his attention.

"So, after hearing all of this, do you really think you're in a position to ask  _ her _ to be on your team?"

"I guess not... sorry..."

"Actually, Jaune, I think you'd make a great leader."

Jaune blushed and fumbled around, embarrassed.

"D'oh, stop it!"

"Seriously, please stop it. This kind of behavior should not be encouraged!"

Jaune brought his head back up and went back to talking with Weiss.

"Sounds like Pyrrha's on board for Team Jaune. Spots are filling up quick! Now, I'm not supposed to do this, but maybe I could pull some strings, find a place for you. What do you say?"

Weiss backed away from Jaune as he moved closer.

"All right, that's a bit too close! Pyrrha, a little help, please?!"

Jaune was then thrown to the wall by Pyrrha's spear, pinning him.

"I'm sorry!"

Before anything could be said though, the announcement was played from the intercom.

"Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation? Again, all first-year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately."

At that, Weiss walked out of the locker room with Pyrrha following, as she grabbed her spear off of Jaune.

"It was nice meeting you!"

"Likewise..."

He dropped to the ground, disappointed at what just happened.

And at that, Yang and Ruby walked up to Jaune. Ruby reached out to pick Jaune up off the ground while Yang spoke.

"Having some trouble there, lady-killer?"

"I don't understand. My dad said all women look for is confidence! Where did I go wrong?"

Jaune took Ruby's hand and lifted himself up.

"'Snow Angel' probably wasn't the best start."

"Come on Jaune, let's go!"

Ruby led both Yang and Jaune over to Beacon Cliff to start their initiation, ready to take their first steps.

* * *

"Dammit! I wake up the earliest and I'm still late! This isn't going to be good."

After five hours, (Y/N) eventually found himself at Beacon Cliff. He knew the initiation was there, but he still couldn't find it. And to add insult to injury, he actually found his room. Five times at that.

"Of course! When I look for it, my room doesn't exist but now that I'm not trying to find it it's all I can find!"

When he finally arrived at Beacon Cliff, he saw that all of the students were gone. The only ones left were Glynda and Ozpin.

As he walked towards the two, Glynda and Ozpin turned around. One of them glared at (Y/N) while the other grinned while drinking coffee.

"You! Do you have any idea how late you are! All of the other students already left!"

"I know. I'm sorry. I got lost on my way here."

Before Glynda could say any more, Ozpin interrupted her.

"Oh, it's fine. Don't worry about it."

Glynda turned back to glare at Ozpin, only to give up halfway through. (Y/N), on the other hand, looked up joyfully at Ozpin's forgiveness.

Seeing (Y/N) stare at him, Ozpin walked over to a random spot on the cliff.

"Just stand over here."

(Y/N) stood still, confused.

"Ok..."

(Y/N) went over and stood where Ozpin was. Ozpin then left him to go back to the edge of the cliff.

"Why do I need to stand he-"

At that (Y/N) was launched into the air, flying through the sky above.

And in the air, (Y/N) screamed out one thing.

"GODDAMMIT OZPINNNNNNNNNNNNNN!"


	5. The Awakening

"GODDAMMIT OZPINNNNNNNNNNNNNN!"

The scream rang throughout the forest, echoing all around of (Y/N)'s appearance. Grimm awakened, animals scurried, and people were confused. No one had any idea on what that scream was.

Except for a few people. Like Ruby, who was traveling with Weiss in the initiation.

"Hmm? Was that (Y/N) just now?"

"Who cares! We need to get to the forest temple! Now hurry!"

"Alright! Jeez. Why did I have to get stuck with her."

Looking down, depressed, Ruby followed after the angered Weiss within the forest. But before she caught up with her, she stared backwards.

" _ I hope you're okay (Y/N). _ "

"Hurry up! We don't have all day you know!"

"Sorry! Coming!"

* * *

On the opposite side of the spectrum, there were two people further away from the scream. From where they were, it was barely audible through all of the trees.

Thankfully, one of them had cat ears.

"Did you hear someone just scream?"

"Nope. You heard someone scream?"

"Nevermind..."

Yang looked back at Blake, confused, before shrugging it off and continuing forward.

Blake, on the other hand, glanced for a quick moment before following Yang.

" _ I hope that wasn't anything bad... _ "

* * *

Once he finally stopped screaming, (Y/N) took in what just happened. He should've expected Ozpin to do something like that. He may not have known him for that long, but he saw the joy on his face when he walked over to that platform. That was a big giveaway.

Too late now though.

Looking down from the sky, (Y/N) saw the Emerald Forest from above. It was the first time he ever saw the forest. He loved how the vibrant green shined from the trees, creating a small sparkle that flickered the closer he got.

It was beautiful.

And obviously deadly.

" _ Okay. Stay calm. I need to slow myself down. But how? _ "

(Y/N) surveyed the land, trying to find anything to slow his fall. He thought of everything, from striking the ground with his swords to landing on the branches of a large tree. But every idea seemed to fail within his mind.

Getting desperate, he patted himself down, trying to find anything to stop his fall. However, the only things he could find were the swords on his hips, the bow on his back, and the dozens of different dust vials in his cloak. He didn't have anything to stop himself.

But, in a strike of innovation, he realized something. 

He did have something to slow his fall. 

Hopefully, at least.

(Y/N) pulled out the mechanical bow from his back and a purple dust vial within his cloak. He placed the vial into a small slot within the bow, filling its ammo. He flipped through the small screen on the bow until eventually landing on the right mode.

" _ Come on. Please work. _ "

He pressed a button on the bow, creating the arrow made of pure dust. He chose a burst arrow, able to disperse the dust against the target. Who knew this would be how he used the bow first.

Staring at the bow in his hand, he calmed himself down. He needed to concentrate if he had any hope of saving himself. He just hoped that it would work like he thought it did.

And so, he held the bow as far away as he could, and he fired the arrow.

And the arrow hit his shoulder, dispersing gravity dust onto him.

When the arrow hit (Y/N)'s shoulder, he groaned in pain while his body started to glow a dark purple. He never tried using dust on himself, and he has never used gravity dust in his life. But, he did have history books, and it said that Atlas was a floating city held up by gravity dust. He hoped that wasn't a lie.

For a second, nothing happened. He didn't feel himself change at all. He was still falling as fast as before, only now, he had a purple glowing trail from where he fell.

For a few more seconds, only two words appeared in (Y/N)'s mind.

" _ Please work. Please work. Please work. Please work..." _

He continued falling, watching the forest getting closer and closer. The trees sparkled so brightly, it blocked his vision for most of the time. He braced for impact, preparing himself for the worst.

But after only a few seconds more, he felt something change. He was slowing down. The dust worked.

While he mentally sighed, (Y/N) navigated through the fall and eventually landed onto a rather large tree branch.

He sat down on the tree branch, resting his arm against the trunk.

"I'm never doing that again."

(Y/N) looked to his left, watching his aura heal the wound. The arrow didn't do anything serious to him, but after falling from the sky and crashing through the branches at the top of the tree, his arm felt sore.

While resting his arm, (Y/N) looked up and saw the familiar sight of leaves above him. It was nice to see them again, even if it was a different forest with different colors.

Through the leaves, (Y/N) saw the sky, reminding him of his scream only moments ago.

"... I'm sure no one heard that."

(Y/N) sighed, shaking his head in embarrassment to calm himself down.

After healing his arm, (Y/N) lifted himself back up. He cracked his bones and dropped down, landing onto the leaf covered floor.

And once there, he saw another familiar sight. 

Trees. 

Lots of them. 

And with no indicator of where to go.

"Great... Looks like I'll have to guess."

He looked back down, annoyed at the realization. 

But before he left, he saw something next to his foot. Something that didn't match with everything. 

It was... strange.

It was a gray chess knight made of glass. It was a wonder the thing wasn't cracked. Some would say it was a miracle. But the weirdest part to it was how smooth the piece was. There was no texture at all. Just a glass knight.

"What's this doing here?"

(Y/N) picked up the knight, inspecting it for only a second before placing it into his cloak. Might as well keep the thing.

Looking around for a bit, he decided to just head forward.

" _ *sigh* _ Hope this works out."

He walked forward, into the dark forest, hoping to find something ahead of him.

But something would find him first.

* * *

After walking for half an hour, he found a whole lot of nothing. He hadn't seen a single thing. It felt like he was ten again, being abandoned in the woods, all alone, with no one to help him, grimm all around, tears creating a trail...

This was not good for his mental health.

Thankfully, it wouldn't last for too long. Him finding nothing, I mean.

Looking around the forest, he eventually found a clearing. It was a large circular field with a stone in the center. The rock was tall, going just below the top of the trees.

"Heh. This is familiar."

(Y/N) climbed the boulder, slowly ascending from the ground. He made many mistakes during his climb, but he eventually reached the top. What was at the top, however, was even more confusing.

It was an emerald rook piece. It shined a vibrant green, making it very noticeable to (Y/N). However, it wasn't perfect. The rook was chipped all over, creating marks that surrounded the entire thing. It was like someone tried breaking the gem, but was unable to.

"Did Ozpin put these here or something..?"

(Y/N) lifted the rook and inspected the piece. It felt strange. Like he should know why it's there, but he doesn't.

(Y/N) decided to just keep it with the knight, and he placed the piece in his pocket. After that, he tried to look just above the trees, barely seeing anything ahead of him.

He was only able to spot two main things. A giant mountain that he oversaw from the cliff, and a mossy top of some structure. It was the ladder that intrigued him.

The second he saw the structure, (Y/N) knew that was where he was supposed to go. Ozpin wouldn't throw them here with something like that laying around. It was obviously important.

But before he could do anything, he heard something. Something quiet. Like the light flapping of wings, but getting louder and louder as time went on.

" _ Where the hell is that coming from..? _ "

Searching for the flapping, (Y/N) eventually faced to the sky. There, he faced something he had never seen before.

It was an omen. A grimm owl, with talons made of bones and eyes that glowed gold. Its face was covered with the mask grimm had, leaving only space for its eyes and beak. The black feathers were smooth, creating a sleek look compared to a nevermore.

But while smaller than a normal nevermore, it was vastly more dangerous. For two main reasons.

The thing was smart, and its eyes were dangerous.

Reacting quickly, (Y/N) moved out of the way, having the omen land on top of the boulder. He used his sword to slow his descent, until eventually landing back to the ground of the forest.

And there he stood, facing towards the omen.

The omen locked its eyes on (Y/N)'s head. Its piercing glare sent shivers down his spine.

(Y/N), on the other hand, averted his eyes from the omen's face. He stared directly at its talons, using his hand to block his upward vision.

" _ Don't look at its eyes. Don't look at its eyes. _ "

Once focused on the talons, (Y/N) unsheathed his swords quickly. He got into a ready stance, preparing himself for a tough fight ahead. He had no idea what to expect.

The omen recognized the challenge and unfurled its wings, creating a massive shadow over (Y/N). It radiated terror from its body, while screeching in fury at him.

It was time to fight.

(Y/N) made the first move, rushing up with his swords in an attempt to cut one of the omen's talons. But before he could reach them, the grimm lifted its claws and attacked in retaliation.

The attack cut through (Y/N)'s clothes, his aura protecting his body. The omen then flapped its wings, pushing the boy back, making him fall to the ground.

Taking a moment to adjust himself, (Y/N) lifted his body up, and got into a defensive stance. He changed the swords to use stone dust, hoping to block whatever struck next.

The omen flew towards the teen, rushing with its beak in hopes to bite (Y/N). But using the opportunity, (Y/N) reached his hand up, and parried the attack with his sword. Using the upward momentum, (Y/N) lifted his other sword, knocking the Grimm upwards and back, creating space between them

The owl readjusted itself and saw (Y/N) smirking at what he just accomplished. And that was what the omen was looking for.

It stared at (Y/N)'s eyes.

In a split second, (Y/N) realized what he did, but he was unable to stop it. The owl's eyes glowed, reflecting off of (Y/N)'s retinas.

The bright glow enraptured his sight, leaving him unable to see anything else. He held onto his swords tightly and fell down before passing out. The omen trapped him.

But that was when something interesting happened. (Y/N) saw something he wasn't supposed to see.

* * *

After passing out from the pain of the omen's glare, (Y/N) found himself in a vast expanse of darkness. From all directions, all he could see was the pitch black void. It was very unsettling.

Once he saw this, (Y/N) looked down and berated himself.

" _ Fucking dumbass. You had one job. ONE JOB. And you had to look at the omen's eyes. You couldn't have just fought it. And now look at where you're at. _ "

(Y/N) looked back up, annoyed at himself. He remembered what his books said. 

Omen's have the ability to mirror the soul of their victim. A dark reflection of oneself, you could say. It would use their own aura to basically kill themselves.

So he knew what would happen next.

He looked ahead, fearful for what he would see. A variety of ideas came to mind. Maybe a psychotic version that killed the facility workers. Maybe it was a murderer, killing civilians in Bronzeleaf Forest. Maybe he blew up Beacon Academy with all the dust it had.

Either way, there was only one way to get out of there. 

Find himself.

"Please don't be that bad... Oh who am I kidding. It's going to be worse."

He looked ahead, seeing the darkness in front of him. He knew it didn't matter which way he went, but he felt like that was the wrong way.

But he went forward, hoping it would be quick at the least.

And he kept walking.

And walking.

And walking.

And walking.

And...

"JESUS! How am I lost in my own soul! That shouldn't be possible!"

(Y/N) grumbled in frustration, putting his hands into his pockets. 

And that's when he noticed something strange.

He felt the chess pieces. The rook and knight were still with him. Except... there was a third.

Pulling the chess piece out of his cloak, he saw something new. 

A bishop made of red metal. It was cold to the touch, except for the center pillar, burning to the touch. And, like the rook and the knight, it was different from a normal chess piece. The bottom was surrounded by small colored lights.

(Y/N) stared at the bishop. 

Now this was scary. It was one thing to find chess pieces in real life, but a whole different thing when finding one in your soul.

But he didn't have time to ponder.

After a few moments of staring, he eventually waved it off, placing the bishop back within his pocket. It was confusing, sure, but it didn't help him in any way. All it did was distract him from where he should be going.

Once he placed the bishop, however, he saw something in front of him. 

A desk. With a computer on top.

He stared at it for a few moments, until realizing something even bigger. 

He wasn't in a void anymore. 

He was in some sort of building. 

And, unlike his cabin or the grand look of Beacon, it was modern.

He looked around inside the building, seeing a variety of teenagers sitting in benches and at tables. 

All of them, frozen. 

Most of them seemed to be doing some sort of work, while others were just talking to each other.

He had no idea where this place was. But it strangely felt... familiar. Like when he fought that ursa, or those beowolves. It felt... strange.

Looking within the building, he found something different to everything else. 

A room filled to the brim with kids. Teenagers, all sitting around, many of them with small electronics and a few of them playing a game on a TV. Unlike the other small groups of friends, it looked like a party was held in the room.

But there was one thing within there that didn't fit. 

A single person, wearing his headphones while flipping through his phone.

With a blurred out face.

"What the..."

(Y/N) stared at the kid, weirded out at the fact he was blurred. Why was his face like that? What made him special?

And once more, he realized one last fact. None of the other teenagers were looking at him. Not one. He was unnoticed to the group.

But before he could look any more, his vision was filled with the golden light once again. And he finally woke up from his nap.

* * *

Waking up from his nap, (Y/N) saw white. That was it. Just white.

Until he went past the cloud. After that, he saw himself above the forest again, but not falling this time. Instead, he was carried by the omen. Yay.

The second he woke up, (Y/N) froze. He was in the omen's talons. Who knows what could happen if it noticed him awake. Well, probably death. Thank god it didn't notice him.

Wait... He could use this.

(Y/N) looked around his body, hoping he had a way to escape. That's when he noticed that the owl was carrying him from his shoulders. He could still move his arms. Barely.

He looked up and could barely make out the beak of the omen. It was focused on moving forward, going towards the mountain seen before. Its gaze wouldn't be able to see (Y/N) move.

Perfect.

Staring at his swords, (Y/N) flipped through their settings until landing on the right ones. Ice and lighting. That should help him get out of the omen's grasp and kill it. He just needed an opportunity.

And that opportunity came.

"Well, why don't we just jump?"

"What are you? Insane?!"

At those words, (Y/N) looked to his right and saw Weiss hanging on the claw of a nevermore. Underneath that nevermore was Ruby, falling from the insane height to the forest temple.

" _ Hope she has a plan to land. _ "

Watching Ruby fall, (Y/N) realized something. He looked back up and saw that the omen was focused on Ruby too. Just what he needed.

In a few seconds, (Y/N) readied his body. He needed to do this quickly. Any mistake could cost him his life, so he needed to get this done right.

And so, he used the omen's grip to swing up into the air. He went forward, knocking the owl's head up as he flew higher into the sky.

The grimm was shocked. How did (Y/N) survive its gaze? That shouldn't have been possible for a huntsman trainee.

In the corners of his eyes, (Y/N) saw the bird's confusion. Just what he wanted.

Before the grimm could react, (Y/N) struck down with his blades, piercing into the bird's back. The omen screeched in pain as it felt the cold spread throughout its body. The ice centered on its chest, with the electricity scurrying through it. A deadly combination.

"Hey Owlman! You smart enough to crash the right way?"

The moment the quip ended, the omen started to fall. The ice got to its wings, and now it can't fly. That isn't good. Well, not good for (Y/N), but worse for the omen.

While it fell, (Y/N) stared down in hopes to spot somewhere to land. There, he saw Yang, Ruby, Blake, Nora, and Ren at the forest monument, with Pyrrha fighting a death stalker nearby.

He knew that was where he should go.

(Y/N) grabbed onto the grimm's body and reached out for one of its wings. He needed to crash there in one piece and not harm anyone. Easier said than done.

Holding onto its wing, (Y/N) raised its arm and flew down towards the group. The closer he got, the easier it was to see their faces. Most of them being surprised, with one of them looking in amazement.

"LOOK OUT!"

Once he screamed, (Y/N) crashed into the ground, dragging the grimm into the dirt. It buried itself deep, until it made a sudden stop from a boulder ahead.

The moment it made impact, (Y/N) flew towards the group, going past the death stalker, until eventually crashing into the ground in front of them. Great.

Looking up, he saw the confused faces of the group staring at him.

"...Hey. Sorry I'm late. I got lost on my way here."

"Did you just kill an omen?"

"Yeah... It looks like it."

Looking around, (Y/N) took notice of the group in front of him. Ruby and Blake were shocked, one of them revealing it more. Nora was staring at (Y/N) in amazement from what he just accomplished while Ren calmly looked back at (Y/N).

Yang reacted the most expressively out of everyone though.

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! CAN EVERYONE JUST CHILL OUT FOR TWO SECONDS BEFORE SOMETHING CRAZY HAPPENS AGAIN?!"

"... You're in the wrong business if you want things to be calm here."

Yang glared at (Y/N).

"...Alright, bad timing."

Before any more could happen though, Ruby interrupted the two.

"Uh. Yang?"

At her voice, everyone looked at Ruby while Yang calmed herself. Ruby pointed up to the sky, averting everyone's gaze above.

There they saw Weiss, still hanging onto the nevermore's talon in fear.

"How could you leave me!"

"I said jump!"

"She's gonna fall."

"She'll be fine.

"She's falling."

At that, (Y/N) saw Weiss start falling from the sky without any way of slowing herself. Great. This again.

He rushed over to where Weiss was going to crash into, hoping to catch her in the air. He knew it would be difficult, especially with how tired he was, but it was possible.

And that's when he saw Jaune jumping out of a tree in hopes of catching her. He didn't go up however, so if he caught her they would still crash.

But that didn't mean it wasn't helpful.

"Sorry Jaune. I owe you."

"Wha-"

Before he could answer, Jaune felt a shoe being pressed right on his back as (Y/N) kicked off him.

Using Jaune as a platform, (Y/N) went up and caught Weiss from the sky safely in his arms. He then maneuvered his fall to land safely on the ground, not hurting Weiss in any way.

Looking up from her position, Weiss came face to face with (Y/N).

" _ *mumble* _ My hero."

"Hmm?"

"My back..."

Realizing what she just said, Weiss removed herself from (Y/N)'s arms. She dusted herself off and bowed to (Y/N).

"Thank you (Y/N), but I could have handled it myself."

"Sure you could..."

At that moment, Pyrrha was knocked back by the death stalker, landing at the feet of the group.

"Great! The gang's all here. Now we can die together!"

"Not if I have anything to say about it."

Hearing her say that, the group watched as Ruby ran towards the death stalker, screaming.

A really bad idea.

"Ruby! Wait!"

But it was too late. Ruby was already on her path, and no one could stop her.

Ruby rushed at the grimm and swung her scythe with all of her might. Only for it to barely scratch it.

Uh oh.

"D-Do-Don't worry! Totally fine!"

Ruby ran away from the grimm, the giant scorpion tailing close behind her. She tried to store her weapon so it wouldn't impede her speed, but it was no use.

Yang rushed after Ruby, hoping to save her from the death stalker, but as she ran, she noticed the nevermore from before facing the group.

The nevermore flapped its wings and fired its feathers, hitting the edge of Ruby's cloak. She tried to move away, but the feather was sturdy. She was stuck.

Yang's position was no better. Multiple feathers blocked her pathway to Ruby. She couldn't destroy all of them and get to Ruby in time.

"Ruby! Get out of there!"

"I'm trying!"

The death stalker got closer, raising its golden stinger in preparation.

"Ruby!"

The stinger got closer and closer, fear displaying on Ruby's face. As (Y/N) watched, he tried to rush over to save her, but he was too tired from the fight with the omen. Dammit. This can't be happening.

Ruby struggled, pulled and pulled at the cloak, but it was all to no avail. She saw the death stalker staring her down. A terrifying sight. She had to close her eyes, preparing for the worst.

But that never came. And instead, she felt a chill.

"You are so childish."

Opening her eyes, Ruby saw Weiss in front of the death stalker, freezing it in its place. She just saved her.

"Weiss...?"

And instead of listening to Ruby, Weiss ranted on.

"And dim-witted, and hyperactive, and don't even get me started on your fighting style. And I suppose I can be a bit... difficult... but if we're going to do this, we're going to have to do this together. So if you quit trying to show off, I'll be... nicer."

Watching how she was acting, Ruby picked herself back up, staring at Weiss in a determined glare.

"I'm not trying to show off. I want you to know I can do this."

Hearing her response, Weiss said one last thing before walking back to the group.

"You're fine..."

Ruby looked down, pleased with Weiss' response.

" _ *whisper* _ Normal knees..."

Before she could rest though, she heard the death stalker struggling from the ice. The death stalker tried to move its legs, cracking the ice slightly, but no matter what it tried, it couldn't leave.

"Whoa..."

While Ruby stared at the death stalker, Yang rushed over and tackled her in joy.

"So happy you're okay!"

(Y/N) was watching the group, happy with how everything turned out. But instead of heading over, he felt a strange urge to look to the monument.

The monument was a small structure with many different pedestals. On each of these pedestals were a different chess piece, half of them being either white or black.

But (Y/N) noticed something else. There was a small hole in the back.

(Y/N) walked over to the hole, wondering if Ozpin put anything important in it. And thankfully, he was right.

Inside of the hole, a sliver of light from above illuminated a black and white queen. The queen was made of normal wood, small writings being written all over it. But that wasn't the special part.

The left side of the queen had a white bat wing, while the right side of the piece had a black bird wing. It was stranger than any other piece (Y/N) saw before.

"Okay. That's strange. And cool."

(Y/N) picked up the chess piece and placed it with the others. That's when he noticed that he still had the bishop on him. It just kept on getting weirder and weirder.

Heading out of the hole, (Y/N) saw the group waiting, half of them all holding a chess piece.

"Come on (Y/N). We have to get back to Beacon Academy."

"Alright. Sorry. Let's get going."

The group then ran off, (Y/N) following behind them. He was too tired to fight, so all he could do was follow them.

He had no idea what was coming next.

* * *

"Why didn't we save Ruby!? She could have died!"

"We were in no condition to save her. If we did anything, we might have died in the process."

"But she was going to die!"

"You knew Weiss was going to save her. It would be fine."

The two continued to argue on and on about what happened, distracting the leader from watching within his chair. He saw how (Y/N) rested while RWBY and JNPR fought the grimm, but every other word, the two distracted him.

After only a few minutes more, he had enough. He walked over to the two and put his arms on both of them.

"Listen! You're right, we should have saved her, but we used all of our energy on that omen! If it wasn't for that, we would still be able to help!"

"Bu-"

"Look! I get it. It hurts us that we couldn't stop the death stalker ourselves, but we couldn't take that kind of bet. It was too risky."

"...okay."

"Good now let's get back to-"

"What the hell is that?"

Hearing the fourth person speak up, the three all turned their heads to the screen in front of them. There, they saw Nora drive her hammer into the death stalker's head while Ruby climbed up a mountain to kill the nevermore. It was very impressive.

But doesn't explain the words from the other.

"Liam, what are you talking abou-"

"No. That."

The trio looked to where Liam pointed, and what they saw terrified them.

"Holy shit..."

"They can't fight those. They'll die out there..."

"What do we do...?"

Liam and the duo stared at the leader, hoping for some sort of response.

"...We need to fight."

* * *

"Alright! Good job team!"

"I can't believe we killed those two. That was incredible."

" _ *scoff* _ Well it was nothing for someone like me."

The group were all resting, happy they killed the nevermore and death stalker. It was a tough battle, but they were able to pull it off together.

Watching the group fight, (Y/N) couldn't help but be amazed. They worked together so well, able to pull off moves that many wouldn't dream to be possible. It was... amazing.

But he didn't have time to think. Because while they rested, Blake heard something out of the corner of her ears.

"Do you guys hear something?"

Once she spoke, everyone stared at her, confused.

"No. Why? You hear something?"

"Yeah... It sounds like... running."

The group was confused. Running? That far away? It was ridiculous. All of them just ignored it, continuing to rest.

But (Y/N) reacted differently. He stood up and tried to look over the forest, hoping to find what she was talking about. He hoped it wasn't what he thought it was. They were in no condition if it was that.

And it wasn't.

It was worse.

"Holy..."

"Hmm? What is it (Y/N)?"

"Look..."

From his words, everyone immediately stood up and looked over the horizon. There, they all saw it.

"That's so many..."

"They can't expect us to survive that..."

"This can't be..."

"No..."

They all stared in pure terror. Something that wasn't helpful for what they saw ahead of them, but it didn't matter at that point.

It was a stampede of grimm, larger than anyone has ever seen. There were omens, nuckelavees, nevermores, ursas, and beowolves as far as the eyes could see. But that wasn't the worst part. What was worse was the leader.

A g-rex. A huge tyrannosaurus rex colored pitch black with a bone mask and exoskeleton. It was dozens of feet tall, reaching all the way to the flying grimm. Spikes aligned its back and tail, making it one of the most fearsome grimm to exist.

And it was heading right for them.

"W-we have to get out of here. We can't take them on by ourselves."

"Y-yeah. Beacon Academy should protect us from those grimm. Right?"

The others were silent though. It was a wonder to see that many grimm in one spot. They didn't know what to do.

But thankfully, Weiss calmed everyone down.

"O-ozpin couldn't have known this would happen. He wouldn't have sent us if he did. We need to go to Beacon Academy. Now."

"A-alright. Let's get going."

Following Ruby's words, the group ran ahead towards Beacon Academy. They knew where to go, and they couldn't stop for even a second.

They ran through the woods, avoiding any obstacle in their way. Beowolves, pit falls, king taijitus? Didn't matter. They just needed to run.

But thankfully, they didn't need to run for long. A beacon airship flew over to the group, Ozpin and Glynda in tow. They were saved.

"Students, get on. We need to leave, now."

A sigh of relief spread throughout the group. Nothing could have survived that stampede. It was fortunate they avoided it in time.

But one question brought worry to them all.

"Hold on. Where's (Y/N)?"

* * *

"I can't do this. There's no way. It's literally impossible. So why..."

(Y/N) was running away from the group, splitting off to be by himself. He ran through the woods, tired but determined to get to his destination.

The problem was where he was heading.

"WHY AM I GOING TOWARDS THE GRIMM?!"

(Y/N) screamed out, questioning himself with every step.

"I can't beat that thing! I can barely run like this! It's pure suicide! It makes absolutely no sense!"

He heard the stampede, the sound of footsteps getting louder as he approached. All of the animals scurried at the sound, leaving no wildlife in his way. Death was imminent.

He eventually made his way to a clearing. There he found a clear field as far as the eye could see. The grimm all aligned, heading towards (Y/N).

"I mean, sure it could hurt so many people, but I can't stop that. It's not my fault if I just run away. I shouldn't be here..."

(Y/N) looked down, angry at himself. He knew why he came, but he knew it was pointless. But, even if he hated it, he still wanted to be a hero. Even if it didn't accomplish anything.

"Goddammit..."

He stared at the grimm, watching all of them charge. Each of them were ready to kill, either with their weapons or claws.

There was no way out of it.

" _ Let us help. _ "

(Y/N) froze. Where did that voice come from? He looked around, seeing not a single soul around him. Just the grimm ready to kill him.

" _ Yeah. We can take them. _ "

" _ Shut up Lucas. We don't have much time. _ "

" _ What's your problem Loki. I just said we could fight. _ "

" _ Both of you, quiet. Let Shen speak. _ "

(Y/N) looked around, confused at the voices. Where did they come from? Why can he hear them? It made no sense.

He hyperventilated. He felt himself going crazy. First it was the omen, then the grimm, and now this? He had to be imagining it. There was no way this was real.

But before he did anything rash, he felt a hand be placed on his shoulder.

" _ I understand you're confused, but we need to get moving. You want to kill those grimm or not? _ "

(Y/N) stopped. He didn't know where the voice came from, but he felt calm as it spoke. It was like an old friend started speaking with him.

And in the few seconds he had, watching the grimm get so very close to him, (Y/N) made his decision.

"Yes."

* * *

"(Y/N) will come back, right? He couldn't have died out there. Right!?"

"Ruby, calm down. I'm sure he's fine. He's just... lost."

"Lost!? That's even worse! He could still be out there, trying to find us! We need to go back!"

"We can't! It's too dangerous to leave Beacon right now. All we could do is wait for him to come back."

"Bu-"

Ruby looked at the rest of the group, all facing down in frustration, fists shaking. They all wanted to go back to save (Y/N), but they knew it was too dangerous.

The moment Ruby realized this, she faced down as well. She should have been watching for him. What was she doing. Now, who knows what happened to him.

But before anything else could be said, Ozpin started to speak on the auditorium's stage. He was revealing which pairs passed the initiation and which failed, putting those who succeeded into teams.

Many of the initiates failed due to the grimm, being unable to acquire an artifact in time. However, even with this problem, none of the teenagers died and a good portion became teams. It wasn't a total failure.

After a few minutes of talking, Ozpin revealed each team in quick succession, he finally reached the group's. Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora all headed to the stage.

"Jaune Arc. Lie Ren. Pyrrha Nikos. Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team JNPR."

An applause was heard from the audience, but team JNPR just smiled slightly. They were happy, no doubt, but what happened to (Y/N) still worried them.

"Led by... Jaune Arc."

"Huh? L-led by..."

"Congratulations young man."

The applause continued, Jaune slack jawed at the idea of being the leader. Pyrrha tried to knock him out of it with a friendly bump, but it led to him just being knocked to the ground, the entire audience laughing as it happened.

Jaune quickly got off the ground, embarrassed by what just happened, and led JNPR off of the stage for the final group to be announced.

Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang all walked to the stage, somber looks on their faces. They were looking around, hoping to find (Y/N) the entire time, but they couldn't spot him in the building.

At the sound of his voice, the team all focused on Ozpin.

"And finally: Blake Belladonna. Ruby Rose. Weiss Schnee. Yang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team RWBY. Led by... Ruby Rose!"

At the end of the sentence, the moods of the team mostly changed. Ruby was shocked to be made team leader, Weiss couldn't believe that Ruby was the leader, Blake was indifferent to the decision, and Yang was excited for her little sister.

Before Ruby realized it, Yang went over and hugged her sister tightly.

"I'm so proud of you!"

Watching this unfold, Ozpin couldn't help but smile.

"It looks like things are shaping up to be an... interesting year."

Yang eventually let go of Ruby, leaving the stage for Ozpin to continue talking. The team followed suit, leaving only Ozpin left on the stage.

"That concludes our initiation. It was unfortunate that it was cut off short, but thankfully, it was still a success. Before I end this assembly, was there anyone who acquired an artifact that didn't step up? We need to make sure everything is in order..."

The moment he started talking, a man walked towards the stage. He wore a black cloak, blood dripping all over as he walked up the steps. Dozens of people were shocked by the damage he took.

At the sight of him, both team JNPR and RWBY froze.

"Is that..."

"What happened..."

"How did he..."

Once on the stage, the cloaked figure faced Ozpin directly. He used his cloak to cover his face, but Ozpin knew who it was.

"I was wondering when you would show up. Do you have any artifacts?"

The man didn't reply. The only sound being made was the low breathing from his face. It was like every second he was standing he was dying.

He opened up his pocket, grabbing out everything within it, before dropping it in Ozpin's hands. And what Ozpin saw shocked him.

It was a gray glass knight, a green emerald rook, a red metallic bishop, and a black and white queen. They were all laid out within his hands. But that wasn't what shocked him the most.

What surprised him the most was a chess piece he didn't know. A glowing pawn. It was pure white, made of some sort of material, but it was glowing. He never had a piece like that.

As a matter of fact, he didn't leave three of the chess pieces out in the field. The only one he placed was the queen piece. The other three he kept at his desk, sitting to the side of his mug. How did he get this?

"How did yo-"

But before he could finish the question, the man fell onto the ground, succumbing to his wounds.

And (Y/N) fell into a deep sleep. 

Where he would officially meet... 

Them.


	6. The Awakening II

It was quiet. Silent as the night. The only sound made was the quiet breathing of (Y/N), sleeping on the ground floor.

Where he was? He had no idea. All he remembered was the army of grimm in front of him, then suddenly hearing voices in his head.

And one of those voices were louder than the others.

"Hey! Wake up! Heyyy! Wake uppp! HEY! WAKE UP!"

While (Y/N) was sleeping, a man was both screaming and slapping him awake. This was going on for a while, to the point where neither him or (Y/N) knew how long it had been.

But thankfully, it came to an end once (Y/N) shot out of his rest.

"Alright! I'm up! Fucking, stop it already..."

Waking up from his slumber, he met eye to eye with two bright green irises. Attached to these eyes was a boy, barely over eighteen, with straight black hair and a grin on his face. He wore an over-sized t-shirt and jeans while crouching down to (Y/N)'s eye level.

But before (Y/N) could say anything, the man spoke up.

"Hi! Name's Lucas. Nice to meet ya!"

(Y/N) stared at Lucas, confused by the sudden appearance. Too many questions filled his mind. Who is he? What did he do? How did he get here? Where is he?

Confusion filling his mind, (Y/N)'s eyes darted around for an answer. That's when he realized where he was. Somewhere a bit... strange, to say the least.

He was in an absolute mess of a bedroom. It looked like someone took buckets of paint and threw it everywhere. A barrage of colors were on the floor, the ceiling, the furniture, the walls; everything. But that wasn't the strangest part.

In the corner of the room, there was a miniature lab, filled with blueprints and chemical devices. Strange equipment scattered around with flasks containing... some sort of liquid. Some bubbled, some were still, and some reacted... strangely. It was simultaneously the most dangerous and safest part of the room.

"Where am I...?"

"Oh right! Welcome to my room! Warning, don't touch the stains. They'll burn your skin off."

"W-wait, what!?"

"Don't worry about it. Now come on! You have to meet the rest!"

Lifting himself off the floor, Lucas headed straight out of his room, walking through the multicolored path. This lead to (Y/N) quickly standing up, and following after him.

But that was denied the second the floor burned his feet.

"AH! WHAT THE HELL!"

"I told you, don't touch the stains."

"BUT You did..."

Fuming with anger, (Y/N) pointed at Lucas' feet. He tried following his exact path, so why was his feet burning but Lucas' weren't. It made absolutely no sense.

Until he actually got a good look at Lucas' feet.

The skin of his feet was not as... solid as before. It was like jello, swaying left and right as he moved, but never leaving his foot. And by listening, just a bit closer, you could hear the sound of his feet sizzling.

And he wasn't fazed in the slightest.

"H-ho- w-wha- b-bu-"

While (Y/N) stuttered in confusion, Lucas responded back in a chipper mood.

"Come on! Let's get going."

Hearing Lucas speak, (Y/N) quickly got out of his trance. He was still confused, completely so, but he needed to follow the man if he wanted any answers. Even if the man was... not the most sane.

(Y/N) calmed himself down, as he always did whenever he needed to do something, while staring at the ground in front of him. Jumping, skipping, and taking leaps across the room, he eventually found himself at the end.

And once at the door, Lucas reached out and pulled (Y/N) through. 

From there, many more questions began to follow.

Once through the door, (Y/N) found himself at a hallway. The hallway was similar to those in Beacon, but with one main difference. Unlike the beautiful designs aligning the walls, everything was blank. Nothing was there except for the doors in the hall.

Five doors, to be more precise; four parallel to each other down a line with one glass door at the end. These four doors were all the same, being made of the exact type of wood, with the glass door having the most mysterious, pure gray look, providing no visibility whatsoever.

And it felt... familiar.

While staring at the hall, (Y/N) heard Lucas speak up to him.

"Shen's already down there, so we just need to go grab Loki and Liam."

"Who are the- N-no wait, where am I!?"

"I'll explain later. Or they will. Either way, let's get the others first."

Before (Y/N) could continue questioning him, Lucas walked towards the doors, not missing a single beat. He was paying little attention to the confused boy, but he still kept an eye on him in an almost protective manner.

And while his lack of focus annoyed him, (Y/N) followed with confusion fresh in his mind. Lucas didn't help his puzzlement in the slightest, but he still needed to follow him if he had any chance of learning anything.

Once they arrived, Lucas knocked on both doors at the same time.

"BLOODY MESS! EMO GHOST! GET OVER HERE!"

The moment he said those words, the doors opened simultaneously.

To the right, there was another teen standing with amber eyes and combed red hair. He wore a black suit with a red shirt and tie. He stood upright, full of pride and power, while staring at (Y/N). His entire look blended together, creating a perfect fit for the man.

The other teen wasn't as clean, however. Instead, he wore a black, torn up t-shirt and gray khakis, while slouching when in front of (Y/N). He had gray eyes, messy black hair, and a tired look painted on his face. He was the exact opposite of how the other man looked.

Once arriving, the clean man smiled and spoke up.

"Hello there. My name is Loki Hadus. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." 

"O-oh. Nice to meet you too."

"Now Emo, don't be shy, introduce yourself!"

Hearing Lucas mention him, the disheveled man slowly introduced himself.

"...Liam..."

He dropped back into silence, creating an awkward tension between the group. 

In this silence, (Y/N) started processing everything that happened, which made him more confused as he stared at the three. Because they didn't explain one thing. One strange fact about this entire experience.

Why did they all look slightly like each other? 

And why did they kind of look like him? 

He immediately assumed brothers, but they had too many differences to be related. Yet they still looked strangely similar. It was like someone took his DNA and spliced it.

With confusion increasing in his mind, (Y/N) stopped suddenly to hear Lucas speak.

"Alright! Now, Shen's in the main room. Let's go!"

"Alright... fucking asshole..."

"Aw! Love you too Loki!"

"..."

They all headed down to the glass door while (Y/N) lagged behind. Their attitude, their demeanor, their... mood; they were definitely different people. And yet... the same person.

A strange fact that only added to his confusion.

* * *

Once they arrived at the glass door, it automatically opened, revealing what was inside.

The main room was ginormous, something one wouldn't be able to measure just by looking at it. It was filled with an excess of mechanical equipment, to strange symbols, and even normal everyday furniture. But it was all in perfect synergy, creating a calming atmosphere.

While gazing at the room, soaking in all it had to offer, (Y/N) heard the sound of a young man yelling while placing plates on a table.

"Dinner's ready!"

Hearing the voice, the group walked over the man while waving hello.

The young man was... different from the group. He had pure white hair, a blue right eye, a red left eye, and a small symbol of a dragon over his left chest. He wore a silver cloak with velvet lining, a pitch black shirt, red pants, and red dress shoes. But none of that was what drew (Y/N)'s eyes.

It was that he wasn't from this world.

It was the pair of wings on his back: one black bird wing and one white bat wing.

And he didn't find it that strange.

Seeing (Y/N)'s shock, Shen spoke up with a soft smile on his face.

"Hi. Name's Shen, Shen Kuri. Welcome to your mindscape, (Y/N)."

"H-how did you know my- N-no, wait, who are all of you!"

"Well, let us explain. Take a seat, we won't hurt you."

Hearing that sentence, (Y/N) realized that all of them were seated at the opposite end of the table. Shen at the head, Liam to his left, and Loki and Lucas to his right. Then there was the seat straight in front of him.

Seeing them all in position, (Y/N) cautiously took a seat in front of the group. It felt like he was at his house again, with Ozpin and Glynda sitting on his couch, waiting to interview him to join Beacon. The biggest difference was he didn't know where he was or any idea who these people were.

But once seated, Shen spoke first, trying to assist (Y/N) in his confusion.

"So, introductions are in order. I'm Shen, the one to my left is Liam, the pretty boy is Loki, and the insane one is Lucas. Nice to meet you, (Y/N)."

"Okay... Nice to meet you too... Now what did you mean that this is my mindscape."

"Oh, well it's not exactly a mindscape. That's just what it's most like. It's more of a... soulscape, if you will."

"Soulscape? What does that mean."

Hearing (Y/N)'s confusion, Loki spoke up to answer the man.

"What he means is that we are currently in your soul after the fight we had. Everything here was shaped by your soul based on your life."

"W-wait, what fight?"

At that point, Lucas excitedly answered.

"We're talking about how we kicked the shit out of that herd! It was amazing! Liam was killing fuckers left and right, I beat the shit out of that T-rex, Loki took down all of those omens, and Shen-"

"Shut up."

Hearing Liam speak up, Lucas paused before grinning at the boy in a mocking manner.

"Come on kid! I saw you out there too. Too embarrassed to admit you were having fun? I know you want to be cool and edgy, but you're just too adorable! I want to just take your teen angst and -"

Before Liam could snap Lucas in half with the glare on his face, (Y/N) interrupted with more questions.

"Wait, this doesn't make sense. If this is my soul, then who the hell are you all?"

The table went silent. Everyone went still while watching each other. They were trying to find who would speak. Who was ready to tell him?

Thankfully, Liam was.

"We're your soul. One eighths of it, each. You're half."

And at that, (Y/N)'s brain stopped working. His mind imploded with the questions in his head. One eighths of his soul? Does that mean half of his soul wasn't his? What does that mean? What was he!?

But before any more panic could be made, Shen spoke again. He wore a much more concerned face, lowering his tone to become a bit more serious.

"You love books right?"

Hearing this question, (Y/N) hesitantly answered.

"Y-yeah. W-what's that got to do with any-"

"And you loved the characters right?"

"Y-yeah. W-where you going with thi-"

"So what if I told you that those characters existed."

Everything stopped. (Y/N)'s mind went blank. Fiction was reality? All of those character, all of those fantastical heroes with impossible abilities were... real?

With all of this silence, Shen explained.

"People believe that in the vast eternity of existence, there is a universe out there where a different choice was made than what you chose. This sparked the multiverse theory. Where how every choice we make creates a parallel universe with different outcomes."

"O-okay. But that doesn't explain how fantasy characters could exi-"

"However, that's not true. Scientists earlier discovered particles in the universe that shouldn't exist due to the laws of physics. The multiverse theory was made with the idea that other universes existed with different universal laws. Where magic is reality, energy could be created, and gravity doesn't exist. That's what started the multiverse theory."

Listening to Shen explain, (Y/N)'s brain started turning. He was beginning to understand what that meant.

"W-well if universes exist with different laws of physics, doesn't that mean that every conceivable idea is possible? Every single thing we think of is true in another universe? Even things that are impossible are real?

"Yes. That's exactly right."

"If that's the case... then what's imagination?"

Expecting this question, Shen explained thoroughly.

"People think that you create everything you imagine, but it's more like someone watching a show. That show, however, has infinite versions with a variety of changes. These changes are parallel universes that we choose to view. And that choice can be expressed through different mediums."

"So that means, every single thing imaginable-"

"YEP! From anime to fanfiction, from movies to books, everything is real. Just maybe not in your universe."

"Okay... I understand that now, but what does that have to do with you four?"

Satisfied with how things were turning out, Shen relaxed himself while calmly explaining to (Y/N).

"In those universes, there is a guaranteed chance that there is a version of yourself with the powers of God. Maybe you're Satan himself. Maybe you're a mix of both. Or maybe... you're nothing at all."

Taking barely a second, (Y/N) figured out what he was implicating.

"So... you're all me from different universes?"

"Well, kind of. We're parts of your soul that turned into the you from parallel universes. The real Shen, Lucas, Loki, and Liam are god knows where. All we know really are small portions of our live's stories."

"Then why am I the only one like this? I can't be the only one in existence."

"Oh, there are definitely more people like this in the multiverse. You're just the only one in this world."

"But then... why me? Was it just dumb luck?"

The room went silent. 

Lucas' grin fell as the entire group stared down in sorrow. They were all... depressed at that question. Like a bad memory was played at the same time.

Seeing their mood drop, (Y/N) backed in alarm. What was that? Why did they change so suddenly? What was so special about him?

While these questions flowed like a river through his brain, (Y/N) was surprised to see Shen quickly recover and return to a much more somber smile.

"We'll explain later. Now, it's nearly midnight, so you need to wake up and we need to eat. Goodbye."

"Wait! I still have so many questions, you can't get r-"

And with that, he disappeared from the table. Seeing him gone, the remaining three raised there heads back up, relief on all of their faces.

Except for Liam, who stared at his leader.

"You forgot to tell him we could talk while he's awake."

"...fuck."

* * *

"Rid of me!"

(Y/N) screamed as he awoke from his slumber. His arm was raised out, reaching for something to grab while he sat quickly upright. A very... surprising moment to say the least.

He was in a hospital bed, arm hooked up to a variety of medical equipment while he was resting. An oxygen mask fell off as he sat up, landing onto his lap. But he wasn't able to view much more.

He was too focused on team RWBY surrounding him.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"... H-hey. What's up?"

Hearing that question, Ruby tackled (Y/N) while tears poured down her face.

"YOU'RE ALIVE! I thought- I- I- I-"

Wincing in pain from Ruby, (Y/N) looked down at her and quickly became concerned.

"Ruby, Ruby, I'm alright. I just got lost. Sorry for making you worry."

"I-I should've- I-I-"

"Ruby, it's alright. I shouldn't have left you guys. I was being dumb."

Ruby looked up, seeing the concerned eyes of (Y/N). She was so, so scared after seeing (Y/N) drop onto the ground. There was so much blood, so many scars, so much. But seeing (Y/N) now, she couldn't help but be joyful at his revival.

Weiss, however, spoke up in fury at (Y/N).

"To say the least! What were you thinking! You could've actually died out there! And you almost did! It's a miracle you're still alive right now!"

"I know... I just..."

(Y/N) looked down, dejectedly at her statements. He knew he shouldn't have ran, he knew the dangers of leaving, but he still did. He had to. And now, he made everyone worry. Great...

But after seeing his depressed state, Weiss stopped her assault and looked down in regret.

"Sorry. I'm just glad you're alive..."

Hearing that, (Y/N) looked back up with gratitude.

"Thank you."

Weiss backed up from this statement, a blush creeping on her face as she stared.

But before anything else, she was cut off by Yang, speaking up as she sat next to (Y/N).

"Well, look at you! Came back to life and can melt the Ice Queen's heart! Is there anything you can't do?"

Looking back to Yang, (Y/N) gained a slight grin while speaking.

"Well, there's only one way to find out. Want to help?"

Surprised by this sudden change, Yang's eyes flickered before she gained a wide grin on her face.

"Well, maybe in the future we will."

Hearing this, (Y/N) giggled in delight before glancing at Blake, staring shyly at him. However, that quickly changed once Blake noticed.

Blake immediately changed to looking down in embarrassment. She kept her arms close to her and her face was covered by her hair.

But soon later, she finally spoke up towards (Y/N).

"... I'm glad you're alright..."

At the sight of Blake speaking to him, (Y/N) could only smile and reply back.

"Thanks. Glad you are too."

Blake glanced upwards, locking eyes with him for a split second in gratitude. And, unknown to everyone but (Y/N), for a brief moment, her bow wiggled.

(Y/N) looked around, happy to see all of team RWBY around him. But before he could say anything, the voice of a man cut him off.

"My, my, look's like you're up early. Hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

At that moment, the group all stared at Ozpin, surprised by his appearance. He stood in front of the door with a coffee mug in hand. It looked like he just came in, thankfully.

Seeing Ozpin, (Y/N) smiled and replied back to Ozpin.

"No, it was nothing important."

Hearing this, Ozpin nodded before taking a sip of his coffee.

"That's good. I saw you were up and was hoping to tell you how you did on the initiation exam."

Everyone shot up at that comment, surprised at what he was saying. However, unlike (Y/N), team RWBY's surprise was out of fear.

Team RWBY all had the same thought when Ozpin spoke up. (Y/N) didn't find a partner during the initiation, so what did that mean? Did he fail? He also arrived late to turn in the relics. Is he not joining Beacon? Is this the end?

But all of that fear was addressed as Ozpin explained.

"The purpose of the initiation was for each person to find a partner to be assigned into groups. You, however, weren't able to find anyone who didn't have a partner. This would normally mean you failed the exam..."

Hearing this caused (Y/N)'s mood to immediately drop.

"Oh... I see..."

Team RWBY all stared at (Y/N). He couldn't leave yet. Not after everything that happened. Even if their time was short, they all enjoyed being around him and hoped to see him while in school. They can't take that away now.

(Y/N), however, felt like he was back in the facility again.

" _ Of course this would happen. You know you aren't strong. You would just hold them back. It's better this way. They can actually become greater. You would have to be an idiot to think otherwise." _

But, before (Y/N) could continue, Ozpin spoke up once again.

"But, I am the headmaster, and I saw what you did to those grimm. So we should be able to make an exception for you."

The entire room's attention focused on Ozpin.

"W-wait. Does that mean..."

"Mr. (Y/N), congratulations on being the first ever singular huntsman in Beacon Academy. However, you will be required to go on any mission assigned to team RWBY."

"I-I-"

"Yes, (Y/N). Welcome to Beacon Academy."

At that moment, everyone's face lit up in joy. Ruby was happy to keep her friend in school, Weiss was happy that they wouldn't get rid of someone as talented as (Y/N), Yang was happy that there would be someone fun she knows in Beacon, and Blake was happy that there was someone kind who wouldn't hate her for who she was in school.

(Y/N), however, felt something strange. A weird sense of deja vu swept over him as he said those words. Like he saw this all before, but he couldn't tell from what.

Before any more could be done, Ozpin stood up and headed towards the door.

"Now, I should get going now. Tomorrows the first day of class, but (Y/N) should rest for a bit longer. Goodbye for now, students."

Ozpin closed the door as he spoke that final sentence, leaving the group to be alone once more.

However, that quickly changed when Weiss got up.

"Ozpin has the right idea. It's getting late, and we have school tomorrow. Let's go back to the dorm."

"But I barely got to spend time with (Y/N)..."

Yang looked at Ruby, amused by how she acted with (Y/N).

"(Y/N)'s not just for you to hog. And Weiss's right, we should get going now."

"But..."

Ruby stared at the two, desperation written all over her face. She tried to look at Blake to get her help, but soon saw that she was already holding the door open.

Seeing her team want to leave, Ruby looked down in disappointment.

"Okay... Bye (Y/N)..."

Seeing Ruby so down, (Y/N) picked her head up and talked with a smile on his face.

"Hey, it's not so bad. We still have the rest of school to talk. You guys can come by tomorrow if you want."

Hearing this, Ruby shot up and stood up out of the bed.

"That's a great idea! We could talk about weapons, or heroes, or stories, or... anything!"

(Y/N) backed up once she spoke up, only to chuckle moments later.

" _ *chuckle* _ Yeah, we certainly can. Now I should get some rest. I need to get better, and staying up won't help me."

Hearing this, each member of team RWBY smiled as they headed out the door.

"Alright. Bye (Y/N)! Get well soon!"

"Goodbye (Y/N). I had a wonderful time with you."

"Bye (Y/N). Hope you get better."

"Bye (Y/N)! Can't wait to see you tomorrow!"

(Y/N) watched them all leave one by one until eventually calling out to the four of them.

"Bye guys! Good luck on school! Hope you do well!"

Hearing this, they all smiled from behind the door, as they all walked back to their dorms, all excited for tomorrow.

(Y/N) stared as they walked, getting filled with joy from the friends he made already when arriving. 

Once they all left, however, (Y/N) realized how late it was, and knew he should probably get some rest.

"That was nice. I hope that it'll be better tomorrow."

Laying down on the hospital bed, (Y/N)'s eyes drifted to sleep with one last thought being made.

" _ Looks like I finally found my prologue. Let's hope it doesn't go down from here. _ "

And at that moment, he finally went to sleep, not noticing Shen, Loki, Liam, and Lucas surrounding his body with small smiles on their faces.

* * *

"Why did you allow him to join Beacon Academy! You saw what happened to him out there! He's lucky to make it out alive!"

"Everything is fine, Glynda. I know what I am doing."

After explaining the situation to team RWBY and (Y/N), Ozpin arrived to see Glynda angry at his decision to allow (Y/N) to attend Beacon.

"Look, I'm fine with the many questionable decisions you do in this school, but I can't allow this! The boy was hanging on death's door when we saw him, and you want to send him out again! That's where I draw the line."

Seeing how she was acting, Ozpin sighed before questioning Glynda on the matter.

"Alright. If I can prove that the boy is ready to become a huntsman, even without a team, would you allow his acceptance?"

Hearing the ultimatum, Glynda tucked her arms while grunting at Ozpin.

"Fine!"

In an expecting manner, Ozpin reached from within his pocked to reveal his scroll from within. He slid it across his table, eventually landing in front of Glynda.

Looking on the scroll, Glynda became shocked with what she saw.

It was (Y/N), staring down the herd of Grimm with his swords in hand. He looked like he was going to fight them all, an impossible task ahead of him.

"Do you see what's on the scroll."

"How... How did he get out of there alive?"

"Go to the next picture."

Glynda scrolled to the next picture, confusion fresh within her mind.

And as she saw it, she immediately dropped the scroll onto the ground.

"H-he couldn't have. It's impossible! There's no way!"

"Now, can you please hand me the documents to sign (Y/N) into the Academy."

"I-uh-I...  _ *grunt* _ "

Glynda hurried back, infuriated that Ozpin played with her using (Y/N).

Because the picture was something astounding.

It was (Y/N), standing on top of the G-Rex, swords in his arms while watching the empty field around him, without a single trace of any other grimm around him.


	7. Bonding

"So your energy is stored in your wings?"

"Yeah. It stores large amounts of demonic and angelic power, allowing me to transform into different forms depending on which energy I choose."

"That's amazing! What happens when you use both?"

" _ *chuckle*  _ Well, that's my trump card."

"Whoa..."

The more (Y/N) learned about Shen, the more fascinated he became. You see, right after he awoke from his slumber, very lately I should add, (Y/N) saw Shen sitting next to him. It startled him at first, but after a small explanation, Shen informed (Y/N) that they could talk in the real world.

And talk, they did.

"What kind of other people live in your world?"

"Oh, loads. Dwarves, elves, dragons, demons, fairies, elementals... some others I can't think of at the top of my head. So, so many people, each vastly different from each other, creating a sort of... chaotic order."

"So were you normal in your world? Or were you still special?"

" _ *chuckle* _ After everything I've been through? I'd be shocked if anyone would be considered normal at that point."

(Y/N) stared in awe, taking in everything he was hearing. It was like the protagonist of a book came to life in front of him and retold his story. But it was real. Well... kind of.

Shen watched this all unfold, a small smile on his lips as he saw (Y/N)'s expression. However, he quickly dropped it and instead stared at the ground, embarrassed.

"Hey... Sorry for making you leave yesterday. That was... rude."

(Y/N), seeing this sudden change, quickly panicked.

"No, no, no. It's fine. I touched a wound I shouldn't have. I get it."

"No, we should've answered instead of kicking you out. You went through a lot and needed clarity... I'm sorry for doing that to you. I should have just helped you out."

Seeing the disappointment written on Shen's face, (Y/N) paused for a second. And when he was done, he let a soft smile spread on his face.

"Really, it's nothing. Thank you though."

Hearing his thanks, Shen smiled and nodded his head. But then, he thought for a moment, and asked (Y/N) a question.

"Do you... still want to know why you're special?"

(Y/N) pulled back, shocked with what Shen said. Was he really that guilty over what happened? It wasn't that big of a problem.

But knowing he would just continue trying to appease him, (Y/N) gave up on stopping him.

"Yeah, sure. Go ahead."

Happy he said yes, Shen grinned and stood up, preparing for a long explanation.

"Before I can go into what makes you able to do this, I need to discuss the four parts of a person."

"Four parts?"

"Yes, the four parts of a person. Mind, Body, Soul, and Paradox."

At that point, (Y/N) was absolutely confused. Mind and Body he could easily figure out, and Soul he had a vague idea with what he was talking about. But the moment he said Paradox, all of that logic left him.

"Wait, what? Paradox? What the hell is that?"

"Let me explain the other three first. Paradox is the most... interesting of the four, so I'll save that for last."

"Alright... Go ahead."

The moment those words were spoken, a white board magically appeared next to Shen with a picture of a human body.

Normally, (Y/N) would question this sort of thing, but knowing what Shen is, he's come to accept the absurdity of... everything.

"Body is the easiest and simplest of the four. It is the physical avatar that every person uses. It can be a variety of different looks, shapes, colors, and more. It can be anything, even things that aren't third dimensional. Without a body, we would have a much harder time interacting with the universe, or multiverse for that matter."

(Y/N) nodded his head slowly, following along with what Shen said.

"Okay... that makes sense."

Shen nodded and flipped the board, revealing a picture of a brain with a variety of words surrounding it.

"Now, Mind and Soul are often confused, so let me explain this to you. Your mind is the culmination of your consciousness and past experiences. It makes you a unique individual compared to a larger variety of people."

"And what makes Soul different?"

At that, Shen flipped the board once again, revealing a picture of spheres on fire with different colors.

"Soul is the basic skeleton of a person. It is able to move the other three around to an extent, creating an individual that fits with it. That's why some people can have the same soul, but different minds. It's the difference between writing a story in one paragraph and one hundred. They have the same beliefs, but their ways of acting are different."

"Okay. Now what the hell is Paradox."

Shen paused at that question. He adjusted himself, took a small breather, and then flipped the board, revealing a variety of scientific words on the back.

"Paradox is, in the most simplest form, the rules to the universe. It's what makes things abide to gravity, thermodynamics, and all of the laws of physics. But it's also what makes people have aura, semblances, or magic. These fundamental laws are what determines the abilities each individual has."

"Okay... that doesn't seem that com-"

"Paradox accomplishes this by combining with other parts. And these parts can have different properties. Paradox and mind can create telekinetic powers, paradox and body can create super strength, paradox and soul can create reincarnation, and those are only a small amount of possibilities. Paradox is the most unpredictable and powerful of the four parts, being nearly impossible to control or use efficiently. There are exceptions though, but they are few."

(Y/N) took a minute to process this. Shen was right, it was kind of complicated, but thankfully, it wasn't something he couldn't understand. Everything simply just... fitted together.

But there was just one thing that bugged him.

"Okay, then... how does any of this explain my broken soul?"

Shen paused. He looked down, covering his eyes, and answered him.

"... Your paradox is inherently powerful, allowing you to do amazing things that many would believe impossible. It finds its power from all of the parts, creating a harmony between them..."

(Y/N) stared, confused at what he was implying. How did that explain his broken soul? All it told him was that his paradox was combined with his sou-

(Y/N) paused. He looked directly at Shen, figuring out what he was implying. 

And it made him scared.

" **What happened to the former me.** "

Before anymore could be said, the sound of knocking was heard from the door.

"Hey (Y/N). It's me. Can I come in?"

Shen and (Y/N) looked at each other, staring at each other with fury and coolness.

" _ *whisper*  _ We're going to talk about this."

Shen didn't respond and instead took a seat, looking towards the door once (Y/N) was finished.

Using that time, (Y/N) changed into a much more chipper attitude, hoping to not upset Ruby.

"Yeah, sure! Come in!"

At that moment, Ruby entered the room to a smiling (Y/N). 

But she didn't smile back. She looked down slightly, in an almost depressed manner.

"Ruby! What's wrong?"

"It's nothing... don't worry about it."

(Y/N) stared at her, worried. From the few hours he knew her, he could tell that Ruby was an emotional person. 

It was easy to tell that something bad happened in class.

"Ruby... please tell me. What happened?"

Ruby looked down in huge concentration. She wasn't sure if she should tell (Y/N) what happened between her and Weiss. He's still healing and probably wouldn't want to hear about something bad going on between her and Weiss.

But she wanted to ask him a question. And he asked for an answer from her.

Might as well go for it.

"(Y/N)... do you actually think I can be a hero?"

At that, both (Y/N) and Shen were taken aback. What happened for her to ask a question like this? They thought she knew the answer already.

"Yes, of course I do. Why? What happened?"

Ruby looked down, tears streaming down her face.

"It's just... I had a fight with Weiss because of how I acted, she told me that Ozpin making me leader was a mistake, and I left you in the forest yesterday, and you almost died, and I should have helped you, and, and, and..."

Ruby started crying profusely as (Y/N) watched, frozen in place. He never saw someone like this before. He's never been in a situation like this. He wanted to help, but he just didn't know how.

But thankfully, someone did.

"(Y/N)."

(Y/N) glanced to the right, seeing Shen now sitting next to him.

"Do what I say."

(Y/N) nodded slightly, then he glanced back at Ruby, still crying in front of him.

Following Shen's advice, he started talking to Ruby.

"...Do you think you should be the leader?"

At that moment, Ruby stopped. She looked back at (Y/N) with a confused stare.

"Wh-what?"

"I said, do you think you should be the leader?"

Ruby stepped forward, no longer crying, and asked once more.

"What do you me-"

"Because do you want to know what I think?"

Ruby stopped, staring at (Y/N) as he spoke. He moved to the side and stood up from the hospital bed, revealing to her that he was fully healed.

"Because I think that heroes and leaders are made, not born."

He walked forward, a reassuring look on his face as he approached her.

"I think that people will make mistakes.. That these people might be impatient, might not choose the right path, and they might just simply not know how to become a hero."

Getting in front of Ruby, he looked down at her with a smile on his face.

"And I think that you're one of the few people that will become a hero."

Ruby froze. Staring at (Y/N), she couldn't do anything else but blush.

But this didn't stop him. Not one bit.

"Maybe you've made a mistake or two. Maybe you aren't the best leader right now. But that doesn't mean anything. Everyone makes mistakes, but someone that can learn from them? Improve from them, and use that change to better themselves and others? That's what makes a true leader. And I know you can accomplish that."

Ruby stared in awe, being in pure wonder of (Y/N)'s words. She just met him, and he's already helped her so much... It seemed like a dream, but it was right in front of her.

So she took a moment, standing for a few seconds more...

Until finally pulling (Y/N) into a deep hug.

"Thank you... Thank you... Thank you..."

Ruby doing this shouldn't have come as a shock for (Y/N), but yet, it was. He had no idea what would happen. He just said what he thought was right with some help from Shen. He didn't think he would do this...

But that didn't mean he didn't like it. After all, he was hugging her back.

"Anytime, Ruby... anytime..."

* * *

"So, what do you suggest I should do?"

"My suggestion? Try your best to become a better person and try looking at it through Weiss' point of view. Maybe there's more than you know that's going on."

"Got it. Thanks (Y/N)!"

"No problem! Can't wait to see you tomorrow!"

Waving Ruby goodbye, (Y/N) stood in front of the door and breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't believe he was able to do any of that. If it was yesterday, he wouldn't think he could.

Looking back at Shen, (Y/N) questioned him.

"How did you know what to do?"

Not expecting this question, Shen looked back, shocked. But after taking only a second, he calmed himself down, and spoke in a nostalgic tone.

"... it kind of reminded me of myself..."

(Y/N) stared back, shocked. Like himself? He's been through that before? What happened?

"How?"

Shen took a second to think. He looked down, with a solemn gaze, until eventually picking his head back up and answering.

"... My kind didn't take kindly to my existence... We had a tendency to be... devastatingly powerful... My own mother died of childbirth because of this, and my father died protecting me from her kind..."

(Y/N) looked on, focused entirely on his story. He couldn't imagine how that felt for Shen, yet he seemed so... strong compared to the others. More stable than them all.

"Thankfully, I was saved... Adopted by a hidden hero with lightning fast strength and gifted with incredible magic... He taught me everything I needed to know... Inspired me to become a hero..."

Shen looked down at his body, fixating his gaze on a large book he held to his side, filled with all of the spells written by his adoptive father.

"And, throughout my life, I read books on amazing items that could give people great power... So I left my home, looking for them... Hoping I could use them to stop the bloodshed... And through that, I met a group..."

Shen looked down further, now in frustration as he remembered them.

"...I hated them... They were all horrible people... There was a fallen god who only wished for destruction, an elf that became a god of ego and used that power to boast themselves even further, and a man from another world who was given the powers of speed, acting like a hero for glory... Not one of them was a good person..."

Shen looked back up at (Y/N), tears coming out of his eyes.

"But I couldn't leave them... Because, even with all of the power I was supposed to have... I couldn't use any of it... I was the weakest... I needed them to accomplish everything for me..."

Looking to the side, he remembered how he felt in those moments.

"And not just that... I cared for them... I didn't want anything bad to happen to them... I didn't know what to do... I didn't know if I could be a hero because of them... And because of myself..."

Looking back at (Y/N), a smile came back to Shen's face.

"But watching Ruby? I couldn't help but see myself again. Someone who wanted to be a hero, but was alone, afraid, and questioning everything they've ever done. But this time... I could help."

(Y/N) couldn't help but stare in awe at Shen. For him to go through all of that... It filled him with joy that he had a connection with him.

"But either way, I should get going. I need to rest, and Loki wants to talk with you."

"Really? What for?"

"Probably to help. He's a lot more serious than me and Lucas, but I respect him for it."

"Alright, see you later Shen."

"Yeah. See you later."

(Y/N) waved bye to him, happy that he could speak with Shen throughout the day. But after seeing him disappear into his body, he sighed a breath of relief and turned around.

Only to see Loki in front of him.

"Well, you did good with Ruby. And Shen told you his past. You're doing a lot better than we could hope."

(Y/N) took a step back, taking in what was in front of him. Loki was laid next to a wall, wearing a black t-shirt with a red jacket, smiling slightly at what just happened.

But after adjusting himself, (Y/N) spoke back much calmer than before.

"Thanks. I hoped I did good with them."

Loki grinned before standing up, leading (Y/N) away from the door.

"We should get going. I was paying attention to what you guys were talking about, and we need to go."

(Y/N) was shocked at what Loki was saying, but after a quick moment, he got out of that trance and hurriedly followed him.

"Wait, what are you talking about? Where are we going?"

Loki continued walking, leaving (Y/N) slightly behind as he answered.

"Ruby won't be the only one that needs help. It's time to go to Weiss."

* * *

Walking outside of Beacon Academy's walls, Weiss angrily spoke aloud to herself.

"Ozpin made a mistake. I should have been the leader, not Ruby. Why would he think that she would be the better choice?"

While she paced around, trying to figure out Ozpin's decision, she heard the sound of someone yelling at her.

"Weiss! Wait for me! I want to talk to you!"

Hearing this voice, Weiss quickly turned around, spotting (Y/N) running straight towards her. He panted as he ran, not having as much energy as usual.

"(Y/N)? What are you doing! You should still be in the nurse's office! Not running out here!"

While she spoke, (Y/N) eventually caught up with her. Taking a breather, he quickly answered her questions.

"The nurse... told me... I could leave a while ago... so... I'm fine..."

Weiss looked down at (Y/N), shocked at how he was acting. But after a while, she quickly got over it, and spoke back to him.

"Fine then. What did you want to talk about?"

Eventually getting back his energy, (Y/N) readjusted himself in front of Weiss. He looked to his side, spotting Loki standing next to him, before eventually replying.

"I want to know why you got into a fight with Ruby. What happened?"

Hearing this from (Y/N), Weiss backed up in shock. How did he learn about what happened? Did Ruby tell him? Did she already get to him before her?

" _ It doesn't matter though. _ "

Looking back with a fierce glare, Weiss stared directly at (Y/N), speaking with as much conviction as she could muster up.

"What happened was that Ozpin made her leader when I'm obviously the better choice. I'm more mature, smarter, stronger... just the superior decision. So why did he choose her instead of me!"

(Y/N) backed up, surprised by the sudden outburst from Weiss. He knew she had a temper, but not this bad...

But (Y/N) didn't back down. Instead he looked straight at her, with no visible emotion on his face.

And said something insane.

"You're right."

Weiss stopped. Out of everything she could have thought of, she never predicted those words coming out of his mouth. It was almost... unnerving.

But Weiss took it as a welcome surprise.

"You agree! Ozpin made a mist-"

"I do think you're smarter than Ruby."

Weiss paused at that statement, almost knowing where he was going. She waited for him to finish.

"You're smarter, more mature, and might be stronger than her. You'll probably be amazing at creating plans, letting the team be able to defeat nearly any enemy you're going to fight."

(Y/N) stopped, looking towards Loki for approval. He knew what to say, but he needed confirmation before anything.

And thankfully, Loki nodded, letting (Y/N) continue further.

"But you're also more arrogant."

The moment those words were spoken, Weiss got mad. She was at the point where she was going to scream if he didn't continue.

"You're more self-centered, less understanding, more controlling, and much colder compared to anyone else on the team."

Taking a moment to breathe, (Y/N) looked back at Weiss more kindly.

"But that doesn't make you a bad person."

Weiss paused at this. (Y/N) just spoke about everything he disliked about her, more than he likes, and he still thinks that she's a good person? It made no sense.

But he continued on.

"I think that throughout your life you were alone with power. You focused entirely on becoming better and controlling things to your liking, that when you were forced to be in a team with a leader like Ruby, you lashed out. You lost everything you had and had no idea what to do."

Loki looked down, in an almost nostalgic way, as (Y/N) talked. But it didn't stop him from continuing.

"So no, I don't think you should be the leader. But that doesn't make you any less valuable, and nor is any other person in you team. We're all so young, with so much that could happen. We can change so much in the future, so we shouldn't say no because of a few mistakes now."

Weiss looked up in amazement at (Y/N). She didn't expect him to be like... this. It's such a surprise. Making her feel like such an embarrassment...

She looked down, frustrated, before (Y/N) picked her head up to continue.

"You shouldn't think of being better than others. There are so many different people, it's unfair to compare ourselves to them. So stop trying so hard to be greater than them."

(Y/N) let go of her head, smiling, while he stepped a few feet back to give her space.

"Because true greatness comes from being better than your former self."

Staring at (Y/N), Weiss just simply stood still.

Until a small smile was placed upon her lips.

"Thank you (Y/N). Thank you."

(Y/N) smiled back with a reassuring smile.

"Anytime, Weiss. Anytime."

* * *

"I should get back to my dorm. Thank you for your assistance (Y/N)."

"It's fine. Just make sure to apologize to Ruby."

"I'll... try. Goodbye (Y/N)."

"Bye Weiss. Take care."

Seeing Weiss leave his sight, (Y/N) breathed a sigh of relief before turning back to Loki.

"So... something similar happened with you too?"

"... I guess in a way."

(Y/N) stared expectantly at Loki, waiting for him to continue.

"... I... lived in a world where heroes were real... Where heroes had superpowers and were supposed to protect those in need..."

Looking down, Loki put his hand on a locket.

"And I believed in that... until a hero accidently killed my family... burning my parents and little sister alive... completely cremated..."

He took a pause, like he was recalling a bad memory.

"And then I went to an orphanage... where I stayed for a year... until I got lost... and found another hero... w-who..."

Loki stopped, shocking (Y/N). He expected Liam to have the worst story of them all, but for Loki to have this? It almost terrified him on what's to come.

But Loki continued on.

"I... lost everything... I was used, manipulated, and didn't know what to do... So I wanted to make a real hero... I became the hero known as Sanguine knight... I focused myself on becoming better, smarter, until finally being able to create the power of blood manipulation... I tried to help my team, asserting myself as a leader to make my teammates become true heroes..."

Loki paused, thinking back on everything. Reminding himself of... everything.

"But I wasn't that good of a leader... I don't think I would ever be... So I just focused on making myself and others better... So when I saw Weiss, I saw someone like me, who just needed a little guidance..."

Looking back at (Y/N), Loki gained a small smile on his face, like he was reassuring himself of something.

"You know, everything we said? You should take it to heart to. You'll probably be greater than all of us if you do."

Walking away, Loki faded away while speaking for only a bit more.

"Thanks for the talk (Y/N). Do well in school tomorrow."

Seeing Loki fade like Shen, (Y/N) got out of his trance and waved to him.

"Thanks! Hope you get some nice rest!"

Nodding to (Y/N)'s reply, Loki walked off into the halls, disappearing back into (Y/N)'s soul.

Seeing Loki leave, (Y/N) stopped. He didn't expect to have such a chaotic day. He was just supposed to rest and talk with his friends, not help them all with their emotional turmoil.

But that didn't mean he regretted it. On the contrary, he was proud of himself. To help them in their time of need... He felt like a real hero in that moment. Something no amount of fighting could replicate.

So he turned around, heading back towards his dorm, ready to start his first day of school.

* * *

Within (Y/N)'s soul, Team SLLL sat next to each other with a smile on their faces. Shen watched (Y/N) more while Lucas and Loki competed with each other on the tv. They all seemed to enjoy the time they had together, even if they fought/

Overall, the entire place was... warm.

Except for Liam, who stayed completely still. 

He didn't move from his spot the entire day, observing the screen in front of him at all times. His entire presence radiated a cold feeling

It was... worrying.

Lucas noticed this and called out to him, alerting the other two of what was happening.

"Yo, Liam! What's going on?"

Hearing this, Shen and Loki changed their focus to Liam, no longer paying attention to anything else. 

But he didn't move. He stood still... 

Until finally speaking up.

"...what if it's worse than we thought..."

Hearing this, all of team SLLL became confused. What was Liam talking about? What's he worried about?

But thankfully, Lucas figured it out.

"...oh. Look, it's fine. We're not changing much from just helping Ruby and Weiss. Everything should go smoothly still."

Realizing what they were talking about, Shen and Loki put in their two cents.

"Yeah, even if it does become worse, you know we can take it."

"And of course... there is always the back up plan..."

Hearing Loki mention this, all of team SLLL stared at him, outraged by what he implied.

And the one to voice that outrage was Shen.

" **We are not doing that.** "

Loki looked up at Shen with both coldness and respect.

"You know I agree, but we don't have a choice on the matter."

With a tension so thick that it could be cut by a knife, Lucas and Liam stayed still in wonder. 

While Lucas and Loki would often fight, they both knew of the fights that Shen and Loki had. It wasn’t out of frustration or anger.

It was out of beliefs and leadership.

But before anything more could happen, Shen calmed himself down, taking a breather to focus.

"We'll talk about this some other time. Let's get some rest for today. We have a big day tomorrow."

Loki gave a questioning glance towards Shen before eventually smiling.

"Yeah. Let's make sure to be early guys."

Loki then walked away, leaving with one last phrase.

"After all, it is a school day."


	8. First Day of School

In the morning, the dorm was cozy. Light came through the window, creating a warm atmosphere throughout the home. The breeze outside made the trees rustle, and the birds sang to welcome the new day.

The dorm was larger than most, being more like an apartment thanks to Ozpin. There were four rooms: a bathroom, a bedroom, a kitchen, and a living room. A great place due to the headmaster's intervention.

The bedroom was simple and clean, creating a comfortable mood inside. There was a grey queen bed with drawers underneath, a white nightstand on each side, a black dresser with a large mirror, and a few cube lamps to light up the room.

And within this place was (Y/N), fast asleep. 

But not for long.

"WAKE UP!!!"

Hearing the scream, (Y/N) jumped out of the bed and onto the floor. He bumped his head on the nightstand, almost knocking the lamp on top of his head. And when he looked up from the ground, he saw the green eyed man smiling with a microphone placed where his ear was.

"*grumble* are you going to do that every morning..."

"No. Only today."

(Y/N) got off of the floor, stretching himself awake in the process. Cracking a few knuckles, he walked around his place to get ready. He brushed his teeth, combed his hair, changed into his new uniform, and went over to the living room while talking with Lucas.

"When does school start anyway?"

"One hour. It's going to be a fifteen minute walk, so you should be fine."

"Well I'm not so sure about that..."

Arriving at the living room, (Y/N) took in the sight. The living room was simple, being a large white couch with a small glass coffee table, a sofa chair to the right of the table, and a TV hanging on the wall. A nice place to relax after a long day.

Next to the living room was the kitchen, an extremely different place from the rest of the home. It was filled full with new cutting edge gear, opening possibilities to whatever a person can want. It was simply amazing.

And within that kitchen, (Y/N) got some simple waffles and strawberries to eat.

"So, how does school work? Do they just give us some work to do and we have to do it within the class?"

"No, the professor will actually discuss different subjects in detail. You're supposed to take notes so that you can remember for the test or projects."

"Supposed to?"

"Oh, you'll see."

(Y/N) looked down, wondering what he meant. Why wouldn't he take notes? Wasn't he going to learn from an actual huntsman? What would make him not want to learn?

These questions filled his mind, only for them to be silenced at the realization that he finished eating.

(Y/N) checked the time to see how long he had until class. He hoped that he wouldn't be late on his first day. That would be embarrassing.

But then he realized he still had twenty minutes before leaving, and he had no idea what to do with that time.

"*sigh* Hey, what should I do to wait?"

"Hmm? Probably check out your neighbors."

"...Anything that doesn't involve me meeting new people?"

Lucas paused for a second, taking in what (Y/N) just said.

"Really?"

"What?"

Hearing this come from (Y/N), Lucas couldn't help but let out a sigh. He walked over to the teen and turned him around to face the door.

"Come on..."

"What are you- WHOA! HEY!"

Before he could react, Lucas pushed him out of the room and towards the neighbor's door. (Y/N) tried to stop him, dragging his feet across the floor and pushing against Lucas, but it felt like the more he struggled, the further he was pushed.

They eventually arrived at the next dorm over, intimidating the young new student. He tried to turn around, but Lucas wouldn't let him. All he could do was stare at the door in front of him.

"Go on. Knock."

(Y/N) paused, anxiety building inside of him. He was absolutely terrified about what was going to happen, but he knew that Lucas would force him if he didn't do it. And who knows? Maybe they'll be friendly.

So gathering all of the courage inside of him, (Y/N) knocked on the door, preparing for the worst.

" _ *knock* *knock* *knock* _ Hello?"

...

No response. Nothing greeted him as he knocked. The only sound that could be heard was the knocking, echoing throughout the empty hallway.

(Y/N) looked towards Lucas, staring at him with both nervousness and embarrassment. He was absolutely terrified of who could arrive. He didn't realize it, but team SLLL was what calmed him down the day before the initiation. But now knowing they exist? They no longer calmed him down as much.

But thankfully, before anything else could happen, the door opened, accompanied with a voice.

"Hello? Who is it-"

Ruby and (Y/N) looked at each other, blank stares on both sides.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Ruby?"

Hearing her name being called, Ruby left her trance, realizing (Y/N) was actually in front of her.

"(Y/N)! What are you doing here!? How did you even find our dorm!?"

"Uh... I'm actually just the dorm over there."

(Y/N) pointed towards his dorm, causing Ruby to glance at his door.

"Oh! What a coincidence!"

"Yeah, sure. Coincidence..."

"Well, why don't you come in?"

"Oh! Are you sure?"

"Yeah! Come on in."

Ruby grabbed (Y/N)'s arm, pulling him into the room while Lucas watched.

Once inside, (Y/N) realized how much Ozpin helped him. Team RWBY's dorm was much smaller, being a single room with four beds, rearranged into strange bunk beds. They weren't given nearly as much treatment as he was given.

Looking around, he spotted a few of the remaining members of team RWBY. Weiss was sitting in front of a desk, preparing some notes to take with her, Blake laid on her bed, reading a book in silence, and Yang was in the bathroom, fixing her hair in the mirror. All of them didn't notice (Y/N) standing in their room.

Until Ruby told them, that is.

"Guys! (Y/N)'s here!"

"(Y/N)?"

Hearing his name, the remaining members of team RWBY looked towards their leader, spotting (Y/N) standing next to her. Each of them were shocked, but Yang was the first to voice it out.

"(Y/N)? What are you doing here?"

"Oh, uh, I was just checking to see who my neighbors were and turns out it was you guys."

Hearing this, Weiss gave a suspecting look towards (Y/N).

"Really? Did Ozpin plan this?"

"Maybe... Probably... Definitely..."

Hearing this, Weiss nodded before falling into an awkward silence. Actually, everyone in the room fell silent, not one person knowing what to say next. It created a thick tension, everyone wished would disappear.

But thankfully, it was cut by the quietest person in the room.

"So...did you want to do anything?"

(Y/N) looked back at Blake, embarrassed about his reason going there.

"Actually, no... I was finished preparing and was hoping that heading here would kill the time."

Hearing this, Ruby popped up, looking around as she spoke.

"Actually, it looks like all of us are ready too! Want to head to class together? You are our unofficial fifth member. Kind of."

(Y/N) stared at Ruby, backing up slightly as she mentioned that.

"O-oh! Yeah! That would be nice."

Looking back at her team, Ruby yelled towards them.

"Alright team RWBY! Let's not be late for class this time!"

"This time?"

"Don't worry about it."

Hearing their leader call them, Weiss, Blake, and Yang walked over, leaving their dorm room. Ruby and (Y/N) quickly followed, closing the door behind them.

"Our next class is at J14, so let's get going."

"Alright team RWBY and (Y/N)! Away!"

Team RWBY walked forward, heading towards their class at a good pace. But before they could leave, they quickly stopped to realize (Y/N) wasn't following them. 

They looked back, scared at what was happening. He was staring at the ground, covering his face with his hair. He created an ominous mood, causing the girls to hesitate when they stepped closer.

But Ruby still walked up to him, trying to help.

"(Y/N)... What's wrong?"

"... _ *mumble* _ "

Hearing him mumble, all of team RWBY walked closer, trying to hear what he was saying.

"I'm sorry... what did you ask?"

"...can you hold my hand to class?"

At that moment, all of team RWBY jumped back, each one of them blushing. And that's when they noticed the embarrassment all over (Y/N)'s face, blushing profusely as well.

"Wh-wh-What!? Wh-why!?"

"...Because I'll get lost without you guys..."

(Y/N) grabbed his arm, entirely embarrassed about how easily he gets lost. He hated the fact that he needed their help to walk fifteen minutes away. It made him feel ashamed of himself.

And it didn't help that Lucas was standing next to him, laughing the entire time.

"Pfft, HAHAHA! Oh my god, this is so fucking great! Oh guys, are you seeing this?"

Mentioning his teammates, Shen, Loki, and Liam soon appeared, watching the scene unfold. Shen and Loki were chuckling at what was happening, both having a small grin on their face, while Liam appeared stoic, but was also amused at the situation.

" _ *whisper* _ Can you guys please shut up."

"*laughing* Sorry, sorry. It's just the first time this has ever happened."

(Y/N) blushed deeper, getting more embarrassed as they went on. 

But before he could say anything, he heard Ruby talk back.

"...*mumble*"

(Y/N) looked towards her, causing team SLLL to quiet down.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

Ruby looked back up, closing her eyes in frustration.

"I said okay!"

Before anyone could react, Ruby walked over to (Y/N)'s right side, and she held his hand in hers.

No one moved. All of them were too shocked to say anything.

But that silence broke as Ruby spoke up again.

"... are we going now or what?"

Looking down, (Y/N) noticed Ruby's face was completely red. It shocked him further than anything he's experienced by far.

All except the next thing that occurred.

"...Well, if Ruby's doing it, I'm joining in too!"

Yang rushed over, taking (Y/N)'s left hand in hers, much to everyone's surprise.

Unlike Ruby, she stared directly at (Y/N), a giant grin on her face as she held his hand. It made (Y/N) pull back, his blush deepening further.

Weiss, seeing this, blushed deeply and lashed out in anger.

"Wha-What are you two doing! You're making him look like an idiot!"

Hearing Weiss say this, Yang couldn't help but smile while teasing her.

"Chillax, Ice Queen. It'll be perfectly fine."

"This is nowhere near fine! This is the exact opposite of fine!"

Watching how she acted, Yang grinned further and played with her more.

"Oh please. You're just jealous you didn't get to him first."

"That's- I- You- UHHH!"

Weiss stomped on the floor, her entire face going red from anger and embarrassment.

But before any more could occur, Blake spoke up, staring at the ground to try covering her blushing face.

"...We should get going... We'll be late for class if we wait so long..."

Hearing this, everyone looked up, shock on their faces.

"Let's get going! We can't be late again!"

Ruby pulled (Y/N) with Yang, leading them to their destination.

"Whoa! O-okay!"

"Alright then! Let's get a move on!"

"Wha- Hey! Wait up!"

Weiss ran after the trio, hoping to both not get left behind and complain about what the three were doing.

Blake watched them all move before following, making sure to hide her blushing face the entire way.

And Team SLLL simply watched, all with smiles on their faces, as they prepared for class.

* * *

The walk to class was surprisingly short, but felt like an eternity for (Y/N). Every step of the way, he would see every student watch in astonishment at what he was doing. It made the entire team more embarrassed as time went on. Except Yang, who was relishing the moment, much to the group's displeasure.

But the walk eventually came to an end, all of them arriving at the front door of the class. The door was grand, the frame glowing to showcase the intricate design on the front. It slightly intimidated (Y/N), but to be honest, he would have been intimidated if it was just a normal door.

Thankfully, Ruby would help him through that.

"Alright! It's time for your first day (Y/N)!"

"W-wait, give me a second!"

But before (Y/N) was finished, Ruby opened the door, pulling him in with Yang's help.

The lecture room was smaller than he expected, fitting about sixty people inside. In the front was the lecture area, where a blackboard was covered by a variety of images, each containing different points of history throughout Remnant.

And before (Y/N) could realize what class he was in, the green haired professor suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Why hello there (Y/N). I'm Doctor Oobleck, your History professor. I heard you were attending as a solo student from Ozpin, so I just had to meet you as soon as possible. I hope you don't mind the sudden introduction."

(Y/N) reeled back, surprised by the sudden appearance of his professor. Doctor Oobleck was a tall man with messy dark green hair and brown eyes, wearing a white shirt, dark green pants, and two different colored shoes. He looked straight out of a children's book.

"O-oh. N-nice to meet you, doctor. I hope I can learn great things from you."

Oobleck grinned at (Y/N)'s words, backing off from the young man.

"Well, I hope so too. Now, class is about to start in a couple of minutes, so it's best for you to get to your seat."

"O-oh. Right. Thank you, doctor."

Realizing he had to go, he looked around the class, scanning for a seat. But thankfully, he didn't have to look hard, as Ruby and Yang were sitting next to each other, leaving a space for him to fill.

(Y/N) grinned at this and walked up to the team, taking a seat in front of the class.

"Now class! Today, I'm here to discuss the Great War. Starting around ninety years ago, the kingdoms of Vale and Vacuo fought the kingdoms of Mistral and Mantle due to..." 

Once Oobleck started discussing, (Y/N) panicked at first, having no idea what to do. Was he supposed to copy down everything he said? Was he supposed to have a text book? What was he supposed to do?

But, hearing the panic inside his head, all of team SLLL started talking to him from within his soul.

" _ Yo, (Y/N), chill out. Just pull out your notebook and write down whatever's important. _ "

" _ But what's important? Is it the events? The people? The times? The locations? _ "

" _ (Y/N), just calm down. Just write down whatever you think you would need to learn more from. _ "

" _ You don't need to copy down everything. Just what you need. _ "

" _ Yeah, you'll be fine. Just do what you need to do, and everything will come naturally. _ "

" _ But what if I do something wrong! What if I don't write down what they want me to? What if-" _

"Mr. (Y/N)."

Hearing his name being called, (Y/N)'s eyes widened in realization of what was happening. Doctor Oobleck pointed at him with his stick, making the entire class pay attention to him.

(Y/N) panicked, his mind freaking out from the possibilities of what could happen. He wasn't paying attention to anything he was saying, and he has no idea what could happen. Would he get kicked out of the academy? Would he have to go back to his house in the forest? Would he-

"Could you tell me the reason to how Vale and Vacuo won the war with Mistral and Mantle?"

(Y/N) paused, taking in what Oobleck asked. He was not expecting that of all things to come out of his mouth. Something everyone could tell by the look on his face.

But none of them could realize the thought that came within his mind.

" _... really? That's it? _ "

Putting his hand on his chin, (Y/N) cleared his throat before answering Oobleck's question.

"Well, that's not exactly a clear question. In the final attack against Mistral and Mantle, it was stated that the Warrior King led his own personal army towards the attack, but there was also the fact that Mantle wasn't experienced within the desert terrain and how there was unusually harsh weather at the time."

Hearing (Y/N) answer so precisely, Oobleck took a second to process his information.

"Correct! Thank you-"

"But there is also a possibility of a third party. Before the final attack by Mistral and Mantle, there were a series of smaller attacks on different bases, fight many leaders within the two kingdoms and cutting off supplies. But the thing was, none of the generals were given the order to target those areas. And the king was reported many times leaving his army for unknown reasons, so there may have been a third party he was working with to take down the two kingdoms."

And at that moment, everyone stopped, shocked by what (Y/N) said. Team RWBY was wide-eyed by what just happened, matched by the rest of the class's dumbfound expressions. Doctor Oobleck, on the other hand, stood entirely still, never expecting the boy to know that much information.

But even with all of this, (Y/N) just looked around confused, wondering why they were all acting like this.

"Uh, Doctor Oobleck? Are you alright?"

Hearing his name being called, Oobleck shook himself out of his trance before gaining a grin on his face.

"Oh, I'm fine Mr. (Y/N). Thank you for your wonderful insight on the war. I would love to hear more some day. Now, once the Vale defeated Mantle..."

Hearing Oobleck go back to normal, (Y/N) relaxed himself into his seat, only to realize the stares being given by Team RWBY around him.

"... _ *whisper* _ what?"

Hearing him speak to her, Weiss shook her head before whispering back to (Y/N).

" _ *whisper* _ What do you mean what! How did you know so much about what happened at the war!"

" _ *whisper* _ Oh. I thought everyone knew that..."

" _ *whisper* _ I can assure you, that's not the case..."

Hearing this (Y/N) looked back at the class, shocked by what the team was saying.

Only to hear Lucas voice in his head again.

" _ Like I said, 'supposed to take notes.' _ "

* * *

Finally reaching twelve o'clock, (Y/N) left his class with team RWBY to go to lunch. His past few classes were the exact same like his first, being fairly easy for him compared to other students. And every time, each professor was shocked at his comprehension of the subject.

Entering the dining hall, (Y/N) couldn't help but stare in wonder. The dining hall was nothing too special, being a large area with tables all around, all with the similar design of the rest of the school. But the place was not what caught his attention.

What caught his attention was the amount of people in the room. It was packed full with hundreds, maybe even more than a thousand people. All of them were in their uniforms, eating with each other and talking.

But while standing still, (Y/N)'s trance was knocked away by the pull of his hand from Ruby.

"Come on! We need to get lunch (Y/N)."

"O-oh. Sorry."

Making his way through the lunch line, (Y/N) looked at the food on his plate in a questioning gaze. It looked decent, kind of, which threw him off from how grand the place was. He thought with a place as amazing as this, they wouldn't have bread so hard you could use it as a weapon.

But before he could think anymore, Yang pulled his arm away from the lunch line, leading (Y/N) to a table filled with both team RWBY and team JNPR.

Sitting down at the table, Ruby excitedly spoke up to everyone.

"Great! Now everyone's here!"

"U-uh. Yeah..."

Looking towards Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora, (Y/N) gave an awkward smile while blushing with embarrassment.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't get any of your names. Who are you? I'm (Y/N) by the way."

Pyrrha nodded her head, wearing a small smile on her face as he asked.

"It's alright. My name is Pyrrha Nikos. It's a pleasure to meet you, (Y/N)."

(Y/N) nodded his head before looking at the two others, Nora grinning wildly at him while Ren only gave a soft smile.

"And you too ar-"

"HI! I'M NORA!"

Nora jumped over the table, grabbing both of (Y/N)'s hands to shake, much to his shock. Team RWBY reeled back in surprise, but the rest of Team JNPR stayed still, like they were expecting this to happen.

(Y/N) looked to his right, seeing Ren bow his head while talking.

"I'm sorry for my friend here. She's very active, if you couldn't notice."

"O-oh, it's fine. Nice to meet you too, Nora."

Hearing this from (Y/N), Nora grinned even wider than before, something that none of them realized she could do, before sitting back down to eat her food.

Ren sighed at this exchange before reaching out his arm with a friendly smile.

"Nice to meet you, (Y/N). My name is Lie Ren, but you can just call me Ren."

"O-oh, okay. Nice to meet you too, Ren."

(Y/N) shook Ren's hand, both staying fairly calm despite their surroundings.

But after shaking Ren's hand, (Y/N) looked around his table, noticing everyone either eating, talking with each other, or doing something by themselves.

And (Y/N) was about to follow suit, but before he could, he heard a faint sound come from within the cafeteria.

" _ *sigh* _ "

(Y/N) turned around, looking to find where the voice came from. But he couldn't find anything out of the sea of people within the dining hall. Everyone just covered each other, making it impossible to pinpoint anyone.

But that wouldn't stop him from trying.

"Hey, Ruby, I'll be back. I just got to go check something out."

"Huh? Oh, okay."

(Y/N) nodded his head towards Ruby before leaving the table, trying to find what he heard. What was that? Was someone in trouble? Or was he just imagining things? No, that had to be real. Right?

But as he looked around, he couldn't find anything. No one getting hurt, no one in trouble, just... nothing.

" _ Well, at least nothing bad happened. _ "

Turning around, (Y/N) tried to walk back to his table, but instead bumped into another student.

"Hey, watch it."

"O-oh, sorry."

Looking up, (Y/N) looked at the student in front of him. The man was very tall, with orange combed hair and indigo eyes. He had a slightly intimidating figure, but nothing too worrisome

However, looking down, (Y/N) realized that he knocked the food onto the student's uniform.

"O-oh, shit, sorry-"

"What did you do to my clothes!?"

(Y/N) looked back up, noticing the anger on his face.

"I-I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean t-"

"Oh, you're going to get it."

The man grabbed (Y/N)'s collar before he could react, and he raised his arm to punch the teen.

But before he could, the bell rang out, ending the lunch period.

Looking up at the bell, the man grunted before throwing (Y/N) onto the ground and dusting his shirt off.

"Tch, you're lucky. For now..."

The man then walked away from (Y/N), leaving him on the ground as he left.

(Y/N) on the other hand watched him walk away, wondering to himself why he would do something like that. All he did was turn around. What was all of that about?

" _ It's because he's an asshole. That's it. _ "

Nodding his head, (Y/N) didn't realize team RWBY was walking towards him in worry.

"(Y/N)!"

Hearing his name being called, he looked over to see Ruby standing in front of him, reaching her arm out.

"Are you okay?"

"O-oh, yeah. I'm fine."

Taking her hand, (Y/N) lifted himself off of the ground, taking notice to the concerned faces of everyone. They all were worried something horrible happened while he was gone. They didn't want to leave him again...

But after seeing all of their faces, he raised his arms and looked apologetically at the four.

"G-guys, it's fine. I just thought I heard something and accidentally bumped into someone. No big deal."

Weiss looked closely at (Y/N), suspecting there was more to the story than he let on.

"Are you sure?"

"Weiss, it's fine. Let's just get to class now."

"Alright... let's get going."

Hearing Weiss say this, the rest of team RWBY sighed in defeat. They grabbed (Y/N), and walked away, heading towards their next class.

" _ Well, I probably won't see him again. Right? _ "

" _... don't test your luck... _ "

* * *

After two more classes, with the same thing happening as before, (Y/N) finally reached combat class, instructed by Glynda Goodwitch.

The class didn't take place in a lecture room, but instead at the amphitheater, where all of the students could watch on the sidelines. Everyone was battle ready, wearing all of their gear and holding their weapons, raring to test their skills.

All except (Y/N), who instead insisted on watching the fights for the day and not participating in any.

"Are you sure (Y/N)? You don't want to practice with anyone?"

"O-oh, yeah. I'm sure. I just want to rest for the day, not fight anyone."

"Alright..."

Looking at the stage, they watched as two huntsmen in training fought. It wasn't the most interesting of fights to watch, but it did prepare everyone in the class for more. Everyone saw it as a challenge, to create the grandest display to everyone.

But while thinking about the class for so long, (Y/N) didn't realize the fight had stopped, with Glynda calling off the fight between the two.

"Thank you for the demonstration children. Now, would anyone like to volunteer for another fight."

"I do!"

Hearing this voice, (Y/N) looked to his right to find who yelled to volunteer. And who he found surprised him.

It was the same guy he ran into! This time wearing armor with a bird on its front and holding a mace in his arm.

"Alright then, Mr. Winchester. And who would you like to challenge?"

"Him!"

Cardin pointed into the crowd, everyone trying to look for who he was talking about. And that's when they spotted (Y/N), not prepared in the slightest for a fight.

"H-huh? Me?"

"Yeah you. Now get on here! I want to wipe the floor with you."

Looking around, he saw everyone stare with expecting eyes. All except team RWBY, who were worried by the fact that he was unarmed and defenseless. He also just got out of the nurse's office, and he couldn't have healed that fast in two days.

"Mr. Winchester! You can't challenge someone unarmed and not recovered. I can't all-"

"Do I have to get his aura low or can I just immobilize him?"

Hearing this come from (Y/N), Glynda snapped her head at him, shocked by what he asked. 

But after seeing him stand calmly, she quickly recomposed herself and spoke back.

"...If you can render him unable to fight, then that will be considered a win."

"... Alright then. Sure."

(Y/N) walked up to the fighting stage, the rest of the students shocked by how calm he acted. Team RWBY and JNPR especially so, knowing how tired and hurt he was during the initiation.

"(Y/N), wait!"

(Y/N) turned around, seeing Ruby reach out to stop him from fighting. But all he did was shrug his arms.

"Don't worry Ruby. This'll only take a minute."

Ruby stopped as he said that, taking in what he implied.

But before anyone else could realize, (Y/N) got onto the stage, standing across from Cardin.

"So, when are we starting?"

Seeing (Y/N) stand on the opposite side of the stage, Glynda moved quickly to the center of the two. She saw Cardin get into position, holding his mace to charge at his opponent, while (Y/N) just stood still, not preparing himself at all.

"Alright, this battle will be with Mr. Cardin Winchester and Mr. (Y/N). The fight will end if either participant's aura is low or if one is able to render the other unable to fight. Are we clear."

"Yes/Yeah."

Glynda looked one more time at the two before raising her arm up.

"Then 3..."

Cardin clenched his mace, anger filling his mind as he watched (Y/N) stand still.

"2..."

(Y/N) observed Cardin, watching him try to finish him with a single blow.

"1..."

Everyone watched in anticipation, none of them sure about what was going to happen. On one hand, Cardin had his weapon, armor, and was prepared to start with a powerful swing. And on the other hand, (Y/N) stood confidently, like nothing Cardin could do would be a problem.

So they all watched, waiting for the moment the fight began.

Until...

"Begin!"

_ Woosh _

No one could keep track of it, but in the blink of an eye, the entire class watched as (Y/N) suddenly appeared in front of Cardin.

And before they could process what just happened, (Y/N) grabbed Cardin's mace, put his leg behind his, and tripped his opponent.

There was no hesitation.

No moment wasted.

Just one precise second.

Cardin landed onto the ground, grunting as he fell, only to see (Y/N) pointing his own mace towards him.

(Y/N) looked towards Glynda, shocked by everything that happened.

"Do I win?"

At his words, Glynda shook herself out of her trance and quickly took charge of what just happened.

"Y-yes. The winner is Mr. (Y/N). Thank you for your demonstration..."

(Y/N) nodded his head before turning back to Cardin, fear all over his face.

But while handing back Cardin's mace, he said something no one could expect.

"You need to work on your balance. A mace is a very heavy weapon that requires momentum to use, but that doesn't mean anything when your opponent can just trip you. I would say focus on using your mace to counteract any balancing troubles and to make sure that you can easily move your weapon to make it do what you want it to do."

Cardin looked up, baffled by what (Y/N) just said. Did he just kick his ass and explain to him how he did it? What the hell is this guy.

But before any more could be done, (Y/N) walked away from the battlefield, going back towards where he was standing.

" _ Thanks for the help Lucas. _ "

" _ Pfft, dude that was nothing. Also, I love to watch assholes crumble into dust. _ "

" _ Hey, don't we all. _ "

(Y/N) chuckled as he heard Loki and Lucas agree, the first time he's ever heard them do that.

Arriving at his spot, (Y/N) looked around to see team RWBY stare wide-eyed around him.

"...what? He wasn't that good."

Ruby was the first to speak up, eyes sparkling in amazement.

"That was AMAZING. You were like,  _ woosh _ , and everyone was like 'huh?' and then you went all  _ toosh  _ and then he went  _ thump _ . It was INCREDIBLE!"

(Y/N) watched Ruby go off, a sweat drop rolling off the side as she described what happened.

But then Weiss spoke up, questioning what just happened.

"How were you able to do that? I couldn't even see you for a second."

"Oh, I didn't do much. No one expected me to do much, so everyone wasn't paying close enough attention. It only works once though."

"I see... interesting."

Nodding his head, (Y/N) didn't realize Yang walk over and put her arm around his neck.

"Oh we're definitely going to have to fight some time. And I want you at your best. Got it?"

" _ *chuckle* _ Yeah, I got it."

And finally, looking over at Blake, (Y/N) noticed her smile at what was happening between him and her group.

(Y/N) replied with a soft smile, only returned by a blush on her face and a slight wiggle of her bow.

But through it all, (Y/N) was still fixated on one thing.

If Lucas could do that...

What else was there?

" _ Hey, Lucas? What else can you- _ "

" _ We'll tell you when you're older. _ "

Surprised by Lucas cutting him off, (Y/N) mentally groaned in frustration before looking back at the team in front of him.

But all he could hear were the comments in his head.

" _ Well, looks like we got a lot planned. _ "

" _ So it seems... _ "

* * *

Finally, after (Y/N) went through the rest of Glynda's class, the day was finally over. No more worrying, no more fighting; just rest.

(Y/N) walked with Ruby and Jaune to their dorms, Jaune's dorm being directly parallel to Ruby's. Another convenience they can thank Ozpin for.

Jaune was the first to leave, tired from the long day of classes.

"I should probably get to my homework. It was nice hanging with you guys though."

"Oh, you too. It was nice meeting your team."

Jaune scratched his head, blushing from the fact it was his team.

"Yeah, Nora can be a handful, but Ren and Pyrrha are fine."

"Yeah, you got a great team Jaune."

"Thanks Ruby. You got a great team too."

All of them nodded in approval, only followed by Jaune turning back around to his dorm.

"Anyway, thanks for the great day! See you guys tomorrow."

"Alright, see you later Jaune"

"See ya later!"

Jaune nodded his head before closing the door, leaving (Y/N) and Ruby alone.

The two looked at each other, grins on their faces. They had a fantastic time today, Ruby helping (Y/N) around and (Y/N) learning about school.

But everything must come to an end someday. So reaching (Y/N)'s dorm, he was the first to speak up.

"Hey Ruby..."

Ruby looked up at (Y/N), confusion filling her mind as he spoke.

"Hmm yeah?"

"...Thank you. For everything..."

Ruby stood still, shocked at what she was hearing. For everything? All she did was walk with him through school.

But (Y/N) continued, not paying attention to how she acted.

"You're the first ever friend I made... And this is the first ever school I've been to... And I know I'm not the best at talking with people, but you... you made everything easier. You, Weiss, Blake, and Yang are amazing people, and I don't know what I would've done without you."

(Y/N) looked away from Ruby, thinking back to when he first arrived at Beacon.

"Before the initiation... I was actually thinking of not joining... I didn't believe I could accomplish anything from here... But you guys? Every second I was around you guys made me the happiest I've ever been... You guys made everything better..."

Ruby stared in awe, baffled by what was happening. She would have never guessed she made that much of an impact. She was just trying to be a good friend. She never expected this...

But before any more could be done, (Y/N) walked up to Ruby...

And gave her a huge hug while tears rolled down his face.

"Thank you, Ruby... Thank you..."

Ruby stopped moving, paralyzed by what was happening...

Before hugging back, a smile on her face.

"Your welcome (Y/N)... Anything for you..."

And that was the final thing they said that day, letting (Y/N) enter his dorm, grateful for the experience Ozpin and team RWBY gave him.

Something he would experience a lot more in the future.


	9. Rediscovery

"Wait, if the constellations feed on stories, what's the point of having followers at all? It seems like a waste of time."

"The followers are supposed to spread the stories, making the constellations more powerful in the process. Now, the real question is, why would constellations want coins if all they need are stories?"

"Well, the coins would help their incarnations become stronger, adding more stories and spreading the stories they have, so it kind of would be an investment. I think. There's probably more."

(Y/N) sighed while listening to their conversation, not exactly sure what they were talking about. It was apparently some sort of novel they all liked from Loki's world. Something called Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint...? Eh, he'll ask later.

After four entire months of living in Beacon Academy, (Y/N) got used to hearing team SLLL's usual antics, to the point where they would just relax in his room during the morning. It was like having roommates, but they were all you. Kind of.

Looking over the kitchen counter, (Y/N) saw Liam sitting on the couch, watching the news. Or at least, that was what he was watching. He kept on switching channels every few seconds, getting quickly bored of whatever was on.

"Well, looks like you're invested."

At the sound of his voice, Liam suddenly stopped, leaving the tv on the news. He turned his head away, hiding his face from (Y/N).

At first, (Y/N) was worried about what just happened. But after seeing the sudden turn, a revelation was made in (Y/N)'s head.

" _ Oh. He's embarrassed. _ "

When (Y/N) first started talking with team SLLL, he assumed he was the cold silent type. A kind of person that never smiles and always walks a lonesome road. The kind many people consider as 'dark' and 'edgy'.

But you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Because the truth was...

Liam was just shy.

(Y/N) took his plate of food and walked over to Liam, leaving the other three behind. They were all too focused to realize what was happening with the two. Not that they would do anything if they knew.

As (Y/N) walked up to him, Liam turned his head further away, a hidden blush on his face. Something only enhanced when he heard (Y/N) sit next to him.

"Hey, it's fine Liam. I was just teasing you."

Liam looked back at (Y/N), a questioning gaze on his face to hide his true feelings. This immediately failed. After all, Liam was still a part of him.

"I... I don't know what happened in your life, or Lucas's for that matter, but you're still a part of me. You don't have to be so nervous."

Liam stared, not showing a single trace of emotion on his face.

Until eventually talking back.

"...Why are you so calm with us? With me? What makes me easier to talk with compared to Ruby or Blake?"

(Y/N) paused, not expecting that question in the slightest. He never truly realized how sudden his personality would flip from extremely shy to almost extrovertish. It was something he could never have all the answers to.

But there may have been one reason. 

"... If I were to say anything, it's harder for me to meet people than talk with them... I... don't know how to start a conversation right... but you guys? It feels like I've been with you my entire life... probably because we were, but I just didn't know it."

Liam stared directly into (Y/N)'s eyes, showing the most emotion he has ever shown. But it wasn't out of amazement, confusion, or anything else similar. It was...

Nostalgia.

(Y/N) smiled at Liam. Joy filled him when he saw Liam lose his embarrassment.

"And besides? It's just a Tuesday. It's not like anything really happens on a Tuesda-"

"And in other news, Anvil is planning on releasing a new line of weaponry to the people in Vale."

And just like that, the entire room fell silent. Everyone froze at once, destroying the warming atmosphere from inside. All of it, started by a single word.

"Did he just say..."

Before anyone else could react, Lucas ran over to Liam and (Y/N) and leaned over to watch the TV.

"Turn it up! Turn it up!"

With no hesitation, Liam turned up the volume, letting everyone focus on the video at hand.

"Anvil is planning on releasing a new line of weaponry that is both lighter and more compact, making them usable for even normal people as self defense. These products also include additional dust modifications, allowing for a variety of uses. More info at eleven."

At that moment, (Y/N) paused the TV, letting the silence sink into the room.

All of team SLLL turned to (Y/N), who put his hands over his face in shock.

"They're... public...?"

(Y/N) looked up, staring at the words on the screen. "Anvil's New Release: Forged For Everyone." Such a simple line, but so much more to (Y/N).

But before he could say anything, he heard the sound of knocking coming from his door.

" _ *knock**knock**knock*  _ Hey (Y/N), we're all here. Are you ready?"

Hearing her voice, (Y/N) quickly shoved down the rest of his food while turning off the TV.

"Y-yeah, just give me a minute!"

(Y/N) ran around his room, making sure that he didn't miss anything.

Thankfully, he didn't need much else than his homework and textbooks. But right before he leaved, he took one last look at the TV.

"... I need to know."

He turned back around, determination now inside of him as he left the door, preparing to investigate further.

* * *

"Jaune, are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah! Why?"

"It's just that you seem a little... **not** okay..."

Jaune looked around, skittering in anxiety. The more he waited, the more people would change their attention to him, all with anticipation for his answer.

Everyone, except (Y/N), who was too focused on Anvil to listen to anything else.

" _ Should I leave beacon to find where they are? Maybe I can find some cargo and track it to a warehouse. Then I can interrogate the scientists in the facility. But do people know their shipping times? How the hell would I know when to go? Or where to go? _ "

(Y/N) tried to go through every possibility, attempting to form a plan of action against Anvil.

Because, out of everything he went through, he needed to learn one thing.

" _... I need to know where my parents are. _ "

But before any more could be done, he quickly left his trance the moment a noise came from the other table.

"Ow! That hurts!"

The moment those words were spoken, the entire table turned to see what was happening.

At the next table over, five people sat down together. It was team CRDL and a brown rabbit faunus girl. But they were definitely not all friends.

Because, while they stared, Cardin's team was watching their leader pull on a pair of rabbit ears on top of the girl. Every pull stretched the ears ever so slightly before retracting back to their original size.

She winced in pain as he pulled, hoping they would stop when they heard. But the rest of the team laughed maniacally at her. They didn't care how she felt. Not one bit.

Small tears came out of her eyes as she spoke.

"Please, stop..."

But even with her pleas, her aggressors did nothing but laugh.

"I told you they were real!"

"What a frea-"

Team CRDL suddenly froze, not moving a single muscle. Except for Cardin, who was confused by the sudden silence from his team. 

Why did they stop? All he was doing was bullying a faunus girl. Who would try to stop him?

Cardin looked over at his team, hands still holding the faunus' ears. 

"Hey, what are you all doi-"

And then, he stopped. Shivers crawled down his spine as he felt the strong arm be placed on his shoulder, gripping tightly into his skin. The cold touch covered his body, freezing him with fear.

But slowly turning around, he eventually saw his aggressor. And when he stared into his eyes, all he could see was a demon, looking to harvest his soul.

" **Let. Her. Go.** "

Immediately, before he could even react, Cardin let go of the rabbit ears as sweat dripped down his face. Not only was he terrified of the man in front of him, he also remembered his humiliating defeat four months ago. He did not want to be near him.

But in only a moment, he eventually realized what happened, noticing the staring eyes of those around him. 

He quickly recomposed himself, although slightly, and turned back to his team.

"C-come on guys. S-she's not worth it."

Not even attempting to question their leader, team CRDL quickly nodded in agreement before leaving the table, leaving (Y/N) and the girl alone.

(Y/N) turned around, looking back at the faunus girl in front of him. He quickly dropped his guard, changing his mood to one much more concerned and caring.

He knelt down to the floor, making sure to keep her at eye level.

"I'm so sorry I didn't help sooner. Did he hurt you? Are your ears okay?"

The girl stared, blushing at his sudden act of kindness. She stammered out her words, too nervous to be clear.

"I-I-I'm fine. Th-th-thank you for helping m-m-me."

Hearing her thanks, (Y/N) smiled in satisfaction. He stood up and lent his hand to her, hoping to get her off the floor.

"Need a lift?"

The girl looked up, not expecting all of this help from a stranger. Did he want something from her? No, after what he did, he was obviously not that bad of a person.

The girl took his hand, helping her stand up from the ground.

Facing (Y/N), she bowed her head and closed her eyes.

"My name's Velvet! Thank you for helping me, sir!"

(Y/N) stepped back a bit, surprised by this sudden action. Sir? That's... interesting.

Standing back up straight, he smiled in gratitude at her thanks.

"It was nothing. And my name's (Y/N). No need to call me 'sir'."

Hearing him say this, Velvet looked up, blushing in embarrassment.

"S-sorry!"

"It's okay. But if they ever mess with you again, I'll help you. Alright?"

Velvet stared directly at (Y/N), shocked by his sudden offer of protection.

"A-alright! Thank you!"

(Y/N) smiled at her gratitude, happy that she accepted the help. Then, (Y/N) turned around, planning on heading back to his table.

"Hey, it's no problem. Take care!"

Panicking, Velvet stumbled towards (Y/N) to stop him from leaving.

"W-w-wait!"

The moment she spoke, (Y/N) stopped in his tracks. A small bit of worry filled his mind as he turned around.

"Hmm? What is it?"

Watching him stop, Velvet fumbled her hands onto her waist. There, she pulled out a brown camera, pointing it at (Y/N).

"C-can I take your picture?"

At that comment, (Y/N) was taken aback. A picture? Why would she want a picture of him? He just met her. That's... strange, to say the least.

"Uhh, yeah. Sure."

Hearing him say yes, Velvet smiled in delight before aiming her camera at (Y/N).

Preparing for the picture, (Y/N) suddenly moved into a pose, making sure the picture took his best angle. Tons of people were confused by this weird movement, but most assumed it was just him wanting to look good.

Except (Y/N), who didn't even try to move his body.

" _ Why did I- _ "

" _ Always pose for the camera. _ "

(Y/N) blanked, shocked by the sudden exclamation from Lucas. Was that really a thing he had to do? Why? What's the point?

Velvet knew why though, looking at the picture she took. And she was shocked to see how the lighting and background almost completely changed to create a perfect portrait of (Y/N).

She shook her head in amazement, staring at the picture she took.

"Great! Thank you so much!"

"Uhh, yeah... You too. Bye now."

"Oh! Yeah, sorry... bye!"

And before (Y/N) could even react, Velvet turned around and ran, leaving a trail of dust in her path. 

(Y/N) was stunned to see her leave so quickly, but he doesn't question it. That's what happens when your biology makes you part rabbit.

Heading back to his table, (Y/N) watched his friends stare at him. Each one was in awe of what just happened. From protecting Velvet, to talking with her, to taking a picture... it was a lot to take in.

But the moment he sat down, the table started talking once again.

"What. Was.  **That** ! You terrified Cardin so much you made his kneecaps shatter! Can you teach me!"

Shocked by the sudden admiration from Nora, (Y/N) moved back before scratching his head.

"Actually... I don't know. It just happened."

And at that, Blake glared at (Y/N), determined to get an answer. She admired the fact that he protected Velvet, but also questioned why he acted like that. So... dark.

"Why now then? What made you do... that?"

"... I really don't know. It just came over me."

Blake nodded, still questioning his answer but no longer asking him why. After all, he wasn't lying to them... right?

But the thing was, (Y/N) had a guess as to why it happened. Something he didn't want to remember again.

Something... back at the facility.

* * *

(Y/N) just left his room, preparing to go into another test with other subjects. He was only five years old, but he still had to work as hard as any other subject. A daunting task, but one he was forced to do.

However, during his trip to the testing rooms, he heard a noise.

"AARRHHHH"

Scared by the sudden noise, (Y/N) turned around, looking for where it came from. The blood clenching scream echoed the halls, terrifying him as he searched. What could have caused that scream? It couldn't have been human, or faunus for that matter. Right?

But low and behold, he finally found the source.

And it was right next to him.

The sight of a facility worker, burning the body of a child faunus. Scars aligned the kid's torso, only matched by the burn wounds next to them. Blood poured onto the floors while the small weak kid just sat, not resisting in the slightest.

All while (Y/N) watched, petrified by what was happening.

" _ You have to help him! Look at how hurt he is! You can't just let it happen! You have to stop it! Move! _ "

But even with those thoughts, all (Y/N) could do was watch, clenching his fist in frustration. Small tears dripped down his eyes, hatred emerging from within his chest.

But not towards them. 

Towards himself.

" _ You just had to be weak. You had to be defenseless. You had to be... you. _ "

And with that, (Y/N) did what he always did. What he always tried to do when he doubted himself. What he always tried when he remembered his weakness.

He left.

* * *

Looking back up from the table, (Y/N) watched as both team RWBY and JNPR stared, concerned about what he was doing.

"...Sorry about that. I was just... thinking about something on the news."

"... okay..."

And with that, the bell rang, signifying the end of Lunch. And while both sides said goodbye, all (Y/N) was thinking about was the facility.

And how much he needs to find it again.

* * *

Ozpin sat at his desk, drinking a cup of coffee as he watched the footage on his scroll.

The battle between (Y/N) and the grimm... It made him smile in delight with how he was able to capture the scene. Such a beautiful piece of work, that only confirmed his suspicions on (Y/N).

He glanced to his right, spotting the four chess pieces (Y/N) brought to him. The only exception being the fact that there were two of each piece, including the queen, which he found out was still placed with the other three.

" _ *chuckle* _ He really is like you four, isn't he."

Ozpin admired the pieces, watching them in complete admiration. 

All except the one piece he didn't have before.

Ozpin leaned closer onto his desk, focusing on the glowing pawn before him. It was... a mystery to where it came from. Even on the footage found, there was no time that (Y/N) could grab a single object. Not even once would he have the time to do anything in that battle.

But that wasn't the strangest part about the pawn. The strangest part was that... it wasn't made out of anything. It didn't feel like... anything. It was just light. Pure light.

But before Ozpin could investigate further, he was interrupted.

" _ *knock**knock**knock* _ Ozpin! Are you there?"

Ozpin moved back, shocked by the sudden appearance of (Y/N). Looking at the time, he saw that class already ended for the students, but that didn't explain why he would come looking for him.

But that didn't mean he wasn't glad for his arrival.

"Yes, you can come in (Y/N)."

Hearing his approval, the door swung open to reveal (Y/N), standing in his casual outfit.

"Welcome, (Y/N). Please, take a seat at my desk."

(Y/N) nodded, walking over to Ozpin in the process. He sat at the desk in front of him, a serious expression written all over his face.

And when he noticed this, Ozpin immediately brought himself closer, concern deep within him.

"Now (Y/N), what seems to be the problem?"

And with that, (Y/N) paused, letting the silence extend throughout the room. He looked down, deep in thought. He didn't think this was going to work, but he had to try anyway.

The clock ticked in anticipation, waiting for someone to talk. For someone to break the tension. For someone to make the first move.

All until (Y/N) finally answered.

"... You have connections, right?"

Not expecting the question in the slightest, Ozpin shook his head in disbelief before answering.

"Yes... Why? Do you need help for something?"

(Y/N) looked up from his seat, with a small smile appearing for a moment as he thought about what Ozpin said.

"Yeah... But I don't know if you can give what I ask."

Ozpin furrowed his eyebrows, making a sharp glare as he listened to (Y/N).

"...What do you want?"

(Y/N) stared directly at Ozpin, determination and confidence extruding from his eyes.

This was it.

Here goes nothing.

"I need all of the information you have on Anvil."

And with that, Ozpin stopped. He couldn't believe what was hearing. For (Y/N) to be asking this... He could only think of two things.

" _ About Anvil? Really now?i _ "

At that moment, the most surprising thing happened to (Y/N). Something he never would have expected.

Ozpin gained a large smile and gladly replied back.

"Why of course. I'll send it all over to your scroll as fast as I cam."

And in that moment, time stopped for (Y/N). 

Ozpin just gave him the files.

He never expected Ozpin to agree. For it to be so... easy.

And that shocked him.

But not just him.

All of team SLLL were shocked too.

" _... why the hell did he do that. _ "

" _ That makes... absolutely no sense. He obviously has connections with the company... right? _ "

" _ Ozpin has to be smarter than that. To just give us info because we asked? There's no way in hell he would do that normally. _ "

" _... He has to know some sort of connection between (Y/N) and Anvil. There's no other reason he would do that... right? _ "

(Y/N) agreed with every one of their statements, questioning everything that Ozpin was doing. 

Because no matter how much special treatment he may have given him. No matter how much he's done for him. No matter what he could have possibly done in all of the years in his life. There is no way for him to do all of... this.

But (Y/N) didn't confront him. Why would he? All Ozpin would do was give him some sort of cryptic message that didn't help in the slightest. It would be an absolute waste of time.

So all (Y/N) did was nod with a fake smile on his face.

"Great! Thank you Ozpin. I'll read them over soon."

Ozpin smiled back, taking note of the false smile on (Y/N)'s face. Maybe he shouldn't have been so... giddy about it. It obviously tipped him off.

But he didn't question it. 

All he did was say his goodbyes.

"Alright then. Now, take care (Y/N). You still have a lot to do, I'm guessing."

Hearing this, (Y/N) stood up from his seat, stretching his arms as he raised. All of the stress from meeting Ozpin was gone, only to be replaced with confusion and questions.

Looking back down, (Y/N) placed his seat closer to Ozpin's desk before walking to the door.

"Okay then. Goodbye Ozpin! Hope you have a nice day."

Ozpin smiled and waved as he left, his eyes never leaving (Y/N).

"You too, (Y/N). Have a wonderful school day."

And at that, (Y/N) was finally done. He looked back, nodded at the headmaster, and closed the door to the office, leaving Ozpin alone once again.

But unknown to (Y/N), Ozpin wasn't just looking at him.

He was watching the pawn glow brighter. Brighter than ever before. But that wasn't what was important.

Because while (Y/N) was talking with team SLLL, the pawn changed colors too. A barrage of colors from gray, to red, to green, to even a mixture of black and white. It almost seemed like a mood ring, changing colors to whatever (Y/N) was feeling. Except that it wasn't emotions... It was souls pieces.

Not that Ozpin knew.

Ozpin glanced at the pawn once again, watching as the light fade back to its original state.

And a small smile was gained on Ozpin's lips as he spoke.

"... You are so fascinating (Y/N). I can't wait to see what happens next."

* * *

Walking down the hallway, (Y/N) eventually found himself lost again. He was thankful that the office was so easy to find, being the giant tower at the center of the school. But everything else? Not so much.

But thankfully it wasn't that bad. He still had team SLLL to talk to.

Except for the fact that Loki has been hounding at him to go to Weiss and ask her for help.

"(Y/N), listen. Weiss obviously has connections with Anvil. You could easily ask for things like shipping times from her."

"But isn't that, I don't know... rude? We only met four months ago. I don't want to ruin my relationship with her like this..."

"Dude, asking for help is not going to 'ruin your friendship'. Besides, she obviously likes you. If you ask, I guarantee you she says yes."

"I'm not sure about that... It's her life we're talking about. What if someone finds out about her giving me the files. She would be the one punished, not me."

"Please... for the love of god just ask her. She likes you dipshit. If you ask her, she'll say yes."

"..."

(Y/N) remained silent, unsure with how to proceed. What was he supposed to do? Did the benefits outweigh the cost? What was the right choice?

On one hand, he could get a lot of information on Anvil from Weiss. The Schnee Dust Corporation has strong connections with Anvil, so she might be able to get info that even Ozpin doesn't have access to. It would be like a dream come true for (Y/N).

But on the other hand, it's very dangerous to get her involved. He doesn't know the current relationship between her and her parents, but he assumes that if they find out she's been giving loads of information on Anvil, they would punish her greatly for it. Anvil is obviously a huge revenue for them, so it wouldn't be in their best interest to go against them.

This had to be one of the hardest choices for (Y/N) to make. But not for the normal reasons.

It wasn't because it was dangerous. It wasn't because of time restraints, not because of any threat, not because of anything that could hurt his friends; no. Because while these did play a role, that wasn't the real question.

The real question to (Y/N) was whether to think for himself or others. If he asks Weiss... if he goes through with it, it would only help himself. No one else would truly benefit from what he was asking. That wasn't his main goal.

So the question was simple.

Would he ask Weiss, potentially creating danger for her and alerting Anvil of his hunt for them?

Or would he just take the info given from Ozpin, hoping to dear god he had stronger connections to them than it appeared?

It was a difficult choice. One that he hated to make.

But before he could make that choice, he heard something out of the corner of his ear.

"Oh Jaune..."

Hearing Cardin talk fairly close to him, (Y/N) looked around, concern erupting from within. Why was Cardin going to Jaune? Please don't say that he was bullying him again...

But once he started looking around, he stopped in his tracks. Because when he looked, he realized something he should have known a while ago.

He's right next to the roof.

...

How in the hell did he get here?

But before he could ask that question, he heard Jaune speak up from the rooftop.

"Cardin!"

The moment those words were spoken, (Y/N) snapped his head towards the roof while hiding.

That's where he saw the two, both still wearing their school uniform. The broken moon illuminated the two, defining their look to (Y/N)'s eyes.

Cardin grinned as he stared at Jaune. He watched the fear spreading throughout his victim's face, relishing the moment in his head.

"Well Jaune, I couldn't help but overhear you two from my dorm room. A real surprise I got to say."

Jaune scurried around, anxiety filling him as he watched Cardin approach closer.

"What do you me-"

"I would never guess for you to sneak into Beacon. Didn't peg you as the rebel type."

(Y/N) paused, shocked by what he heard. Jaune snuck into Beacon? You could do that? How the hell was he able to accomplish that? 

But he wasn't able to finish his questioning. He needed to listen to their conversation at hand.

Jaune stepped closer to Cardin, bowing as he got closer.

"Please, Cardin,  _ please _ , don't tell anyone."

Cardin laughed as he watched Jaune beg, a sense of superiority filling his head.

"Oh, Jaune, I would never do that to a  _ friend _ . I'm not some sort of rat."

Jaune looked back up from his bow, surprised by the declaration from Cardin.

"F-friend?"

Cardin grinned at the surprise, loving the rollercoaster of emotions Jaune was feeling. It gave him such a rush. To be able to use him to this extent... to manipulate him like this... it was exhilarating.

Cardin put his arm around Jaune's neck, forcing him into a headlock. 

Jaune tried to get out of it, but was powerless in his position.

"Of course, Jaune. We're great friends now  _ Jauney boy _ ! And the way I see it, as long as you are there for me when I need you, we'll be friends for a  _ long time _ ."

Cardin released Jaune from his grasp, dropping him to the floor while he struggled to breathe. 

He leaned down, close to Jaune's head, and spoke with a much more chipper attitude.

"That being said, I don't really have the time for the extra readings Doctor Oobleck gave us. So, do you think you can take care of that for me, buddy?"

Jaune didn't respond, too focused on recovering from everything Cardin was doing.

"That's what I thought."

Cardin stood back up from the ground, walking towards the edge of the roof while talking.

"Don't worry, Jaune; your secret is safe with me."

And with that, he left. He dropped into his window, leaving Jaune all alone.

All except (Y/N), who was extremely angry. But not just because of what Cardin was doing.

But that team SLLL prevented him from helping.

" _ (Y/N), listen. I know you want to help Jaune, believe me, we all do. But this time? We should just let everything happen. _ "

" _ What!? You just want me to let Jaune be blackmailed by Cardin!? Do you know how wrong that is!? _ "

" _ It's not even really blackmail. Do you really think that Ozpin would be so easily tricked by a teenager that's not even half as smart as him? _ "

" _ Even so... why should I just let it happen!? I should help him, not watch. _ "

" _ Jaune's got this. He may not be the strongest, but hey, so were you. And while he may not be in exactly your situation, I know for a fact that he can get through this. _ "

" _ That doesn't mean I should just sit by and watch! I barely got through my experience, and I should help him through his! Like you guys! _ "

(Y/N) glared, directing it at the three members arguing with him.

But then, he heard a voice from behind him.

"He wouldn't learn if you helped..."

Liam appeared behind him, shocking (Y/N). Out of all times to appear to him... this was the first time away from his dorm. Even on his first day, Liam would always stand right next to it.

Liam closed the space between the two, leaving only a small gap as he glared into (Y/N)'s eyes.

"(Y/N)... this isn't your story..."

Liam blinked his eyes, and with that, a darkness was felt as he spoke his last word.

" **Leave.** "

And with that, in a blink of an eye, Liam disappeared.

(Y/N) was petrified. It was the first time he saw Liam become so... terrifying. He's been serious before, hundreds of thousands of times. But that?... It felt like he was staring at a ghost.

(Y/N) looked down, frustration building inside of him. To be so... useless, at that moment. It hurt.

But at the end of the day, he knew they were right. He knew this would be the best way for him to learn. Even if he did get hurt in the process.

" _...fine. But I'm not going to ask Weiss for help then. I'm not going to let two people get hurt on my watch. _ "

" _... Alright. It's time to rest anyway. _ "

(Y/N) glanced through the nearest window, viewing the sight outside. The broken crescent moon illuminated the night, reminding him of the current time.

" _... Alright. Let's get going. _ "

* * *

Realizing he was only two floors away from his dorm, (Y/N) quickly went down the steps to find his home.

" _ When do you think Ozpin will be able to send the documents over? Tonight? Tomorrow? Next week? _ "

" _ Based on how he was talking, it should take a while before he sends it to you. He's probably going to look for every single piece of information he has. *mumble* Still fucking weird, you know. _ "

(Y/N) shook his head, agreeing with his statement.

" _ Well hey, at least we got something out of this encounter. That's good. _ "

" _ Yeah. Now we can actually go after Anvil. _ "

Listening to Shen, (Y/N) couldn't help but grin at that statement. After seven whole years, left to fend for himself after being thrown out, he could finally track down the facility that abandoned him. And most importantly... he can find his parents.

Joyful about the prospect of searching for Anvil, (Y/N) couldn't help but laugh at how everything turned out.

But that laugh was quickly denied the moment he ran into somebody.

"Ow!"

(Y/N), landing onto the floor underneath them. He rubbed his head in pain, letting questions fill his mind.

What the hell was that? Who did he bump into? Why did that hurt more than usual?

"God that hur- wait a minute. Yang!?"

As (Y/N) spoke, Yang rubbed her head in confusion of what he said.

"Wha- (Y/N)!"

And at that, Yang stopped.

Seeing (Y/N), she couldn't help but grin. She's been running all over to find him, and she was actually planning on giving up. She didn't expect for him to find her, somehow.

But that didn't matter.

Yang stared at (Y/N), happy that she finally found.

But then she realized what just happened.

Getting off of the floor, Yang looked at herself. She dusted herself off, making sure to keep her clothes and hair clean as she stood up.

But after seeing (Y/N) still sitting in shock, Yang leaned her head down close to him, watching everything occur in front of him.

"Need some help there?"

Hearing her speak to him again, (Y/N) realized what just happened and couldn't help but notice how close their faces were. 

That 's awkward.

He quickly backed off, trying to leave some space between his face and hers.

"N-no, I got it."

And at that, Yang lifted her head as she watched (Y/N) lift himself off of the ground.

Now, he could finally start talking with her.

"Wasn't expecting to see you here Yang. What're you doing?"

The moment she heard that question, Yang couldn't help but grin.

It was finally time.

She crossed her arms in front of him and approached him slowly, leaving him with only a few moments to realize what was happening.

"Well actually, I was hoping to ask you something."

And at that, (Y/N) paused. He wasn't expecting that in the slightest. What would she want from him? There was nothing he could really give her... right?

Confusion filling his mind, all (Y/N) could do was talk to her.

"Umm... Okay. What did you want?"

Yang stepped closer, a more mischievous making way on her face.

"Oh, you know... remember that favor you owed me back when we first met?"

(Y/N) stopped. Fear completely covered him as he asked. He never really gave rules on that favor, did he...

What would she use it for? What would she need that the favor would be used? What was she going to do with him?

"Y-yeah... what about it?"

And before (Y/N) could react, Yang popped up in front of him, leaving their face with only a few inches of separation.

"Well... I was hoping we could hang out Friday. Just the two of us."

(Y/N) stopped, frozen by what she just asked. 

He couldn't believe it...

Out of all things...

She used her favor on that?

"Oh, yeah. Sure. I'll happily hang out with you."

And that's when it happened. He said sure.

Making Yang the happiest she's ever been in a while.

"Great! We'll go after that field trip from Professor Peach. Is that alright."

Thinking about it, (Y/N) started getting excited. A field trip to some new place and the two out on the town? It sounded like a blast to him.

"Yeah! That sounds great! I'll see you there."

And that was that.

Before he could react, Yang quickly brought him in for a bear hug, only to run away afterwards..

"Alright! It's a date! Can't wait!"

And with that, Yang left, leaving (Y/N) alone in the hallways once again.

(Y/N) paused at what happened, not exactly sure what just occurred. First he bumped into her, then she wants to call in her favor, and all she wants to do is hang out with him? And go on a 'date'? What the hell is a date?

But that wasn't what confused him...

Because there was one thing stranger than all of the other things combined...

One person, more energetic and stranger than all of the other things combined...

" **_BOOM!_ ** _ CALLED IT! I KNEW SHE WOULD BE FIRST! _ "


	10. The Date

"For dad's sake, it counts! How the hell would asking him on a date not count as a confession!?"

"Technically, a date is when a person shows possible interest in the partner. She didn't specifically say it, so it doesn't count."

"Can you please tell me what the hell you two are talking about? You haven't said anything all week!"

"We'll tell you when you're older."

(Y/N) scoffed in frustration, plopping himself back onto his couch. Ever since Yang asked him to hang out on Friday, Lucas and Loki have been fighting daily. And he had no idea what they were talking about.

Over the week, (Y/N) acted normal in front of everyone, but he was secretly anxious for whenever Ozpin would send him the documents. It's been three days since he asked, and Ozpin hasn't mentioned anything to him. An annoyance throughout his week, no doubt.

But not just that. He hated seeing Jaune around Cardin, knowing exactly what was going on. He knew he shouldn't help Jaune, to let him grow on his own, but it didn't make him feel any better. He felt so useless, only hoping the best for him.

And then there was the fact that Yang started getting a lot closer to him. He would notice that Yang always moved closer and closer to him in class, that she would start asking more and more questions towards him, and how her smile got significantly wider than before.

But... through all that, he noticed something. Something he doubted anyone else would realize. 

Because the truth was...

Everything she did was forced.

And he would know that.

He does the same after all.

After a while of being at Beacon, he couldn't help but wonder why he acted so strangely. He was being fake to them, and he didn't know why.

But he didn't have time to think about that. He was supposed to go on a field trip tomorrow, see if Jaune is going to do something horrible with Cardin, hang out with Yang, check in with Ozpin...

So, so much he had to do.

And he didn't know where to start.

"Fine! The date's tomorrow anyways, so I'll prove it to you there. Deal!?"

"Alright. Deal."

Loki and Lucas shook their hands, both in agreement with their compromise. They both would never back down from a challenge against each other, and this was no exception.

But when they were done, Lucas paused. He noticed (Y/N) looking down, stress throughout his entire body.

And he knew what he had to do.

Lucas waved his hand in the air, bringing the attention to the rest of team SLLL without alerting (Y/N).

And seeing Lucas do this, they all nodded in agreement, leaving back into the soul scape.

Lucas walked up to (Y/N), putting his hand on top of his shoulder. He stared with a concerned gaze, hoping he would open up to him.

"Hey (Y/N)... you alright there?"

(Y/N) looked back, seeing the emerald eyes look into his soul for an answer. And all he could do was scoff and shake his head.

"What do you think? Ozpin hasn't done anything this past week, I have to stare at Cardin manipulating Jaune all day, Yang is acting weirder and weirder around me, and I can't fucking think anymore without you guys yelling through an argument with each other! So what the fuck do you think!?"

Lucas pulled back, shocked by the sudden outburst from (Y/N). He knew he wasn't feeling well, but this...

He wasn't the only one shocked, however. (Y/N) was terrified by what he did, realizing how he attacked Lucas for all of his problems. He went after someone that hadn't intentionally hurt him.

"Lucas..."

Lucas looked back towards (Y/N), watching the sudden change of mood in front of his eyes. He knew he had a lot to unpackage, but to hide all of this...

He recognized it all instantly.

"...heh."

(Y/N) reeled back, surprised by the sudden chuckle from Lucas.

He was...

Laughing?

"Lucas... are you okay?"

Lucas walked over, smiling to himself as he realized what just happened. Everything (Y/N) just did was... hilarious.

"Yeah, yeah, it's just... you have a lot more of me than I thought."

(Y/N) shook his head, confused by the sudden statement. What about his outburst would make him reflect? It was the exact opposite of how he acted.

But after a while, that confusion suddenly ended with Lucas pipping up.

" _ *chuckle*  _ I'll explain tomorrow. After your date. I can promise you, things will get better by tomorrow."

And before (Y/N) could ask any more, Lucas disappeared before his eyes, leaving him alone in his room.

"... _ *sigh* _ I guess I just have to wait for tomorrow then."

(Y/N) walked over to bed, going to sleep, letting his thoughts drift to what tomorrow would bring.

* * *

"Yes, students, the forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peach has asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside this forest, and I'm here to make sure none of you die while doing so."

Glynda looked back at the class, all of them admiring the view around. The forever fall was gorgeous, the red leaves complementing the gray trunks, making it look like a forest out of rubies. But it was also the color of blood, making some admire the danger around them.

All except (Y/N), who was all too familiar with the sight.

" _ *yawn* _ "

Hearing (Y/N) yawn, Yang immediately jumped at the opportunity to speak with him, leaving only a few inches of space as they talked.

"Hmm? Don't tell me you're tired (Y/N)."

Seeing Yang get closer, (Y/N) immediately started to smile while talking.

"No, no. I'm just used to seeing this."

Yang piqued in interest, walking with (Y/N) as she asked more questions.

"Really? You go to the forest a lot?"

(Y/N) smiled at her, keeping his eyes closed to suppress a chuckle from within.

"Something like that."

Yang smiled in delight, happy to hear a bit more about (Y/N)'s life. He never really gave much information, the only thing he spoke about being how he's an only child and barely met anyone. It was nice to know just a bit more about what happened in the past.

But before they could talk any more, Glynda stopped the class, holding up a jar full of red sap.

"Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap. However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here at four o'clock. Have fun!"

Hearing this, Ruby and Yang couldn't help but look at each other and grin, the ladder immediately grabbing onto (Y/N)'s hand.

"Well, shall we get going?"

(Y/N) looked back, shocked by the sudden grab.

"Huh, oh yeah."

Hearing him say this, Yang couldn't help but smile as she pulled him away.

But (Y/N) wasn't paying attention. He was too focused on Jaune being pulled away by Cardin, wearing a malicious grin on his face.

" _... dammit. _ "

* * *

In a small clearing of the forest, team RWBY and JNPR stood, collecting the sap around them. Some of the members looked around the forest, holding the jars of red sap in their hands. But most of them were standing next to trees, mostly away from anyone else.

One of them was (Y/N), sitting at a tree with a book in hand, two bottles of sap next to him.

" _ Cardin's probably not going to give Jaune one, so might as well keep a spare in case. _ "

(Y/N) looked up from his book, watching the group around him.

Blake was crouching while watching her team, Yang was collecting the red sap next to Ruby, Weiss was just waiting for the rest of them with her jar next to her, Nora was eating the sap that Ren kept on giving her, and Pyrrha was collecting the sap by herself with a sad look on her face.

" _ Must miss Jaune... Hope he's doing alright. _ "

But right before he could look down in sadness, (Y/N) noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Something that was hidden from the rest of them.

Or more accurately, someones.

" _ What the hell are they doing? _ "

At the top of a small hill, hidden slightly by some bushes on the ground, there laid Jaune, Cardin, and his team, watching his friends from above.

But that wasn't what was most worrying.

What was most worrying was the brown box that Cardin pulled out with the label W.

" _ Are those... Rapier Wasps!? _ "

(Y/N) could only watch in horror as Cardin stood up, picking up Jaune with him. His team followed suit, watching in anticipation at what was about to happen.

" _ Don't tell me... _ "

But before he could even finish the thought, Cardin handed Jaune one of the bottles of red sap, pointing at him in the process.

" _... _ "

Jaune looked back at the team, backing in fear as he held the sap in his hands.

But he didn't fight back.

He just raised his arm, staring directly at (Y/N) in worry.

He lifted the jar in his hands, aiming it at (Y/N)'s body in fear. His arms trembled at what he was about to do, anxiety bursting from what Cardin was doing to him.

And all he could think was why him? Why did he have to do this to him? Why couldn't it be someone else? Why can't he just say no?

And as he asked those questions, he saw something strange. 

When he looked back at (Y/N)...

He was staring at him, relaxed.

And he knew exactly what (Y/N) was thinking at that time.

" _ Do what you believe in Jaune. I trust you. _ "

Jaune paused, taking in what he just saw.

"No..."

Cardin walked closer, not believing what he was hearing.

"What did you say?"

But before he could get any closer, Jaune turned towards him and threw the bottle at his chestplate.

"I said...  **NO!** "

Cardin reeled back, shocked by what Jaune just did.

Did he just... go against him?

"Oh... you've done it now."

Before Jaune could react, Cardin's teammates grabbed both of his arms, dragging him away from his friends and team.

And (Y/N) just watched, both with a sense of pride and fear.

" _ Should I go help him?..." _

(Y/N) stared down, thinking about what he should do, until remembering what team SLLL told him.

" _... I have to trust Jaune here. He'll be fine. I know he will. _ "

And with that, he smiled at the ground, happy that one of his problems has started to fix themselves.

* * *

"I did not expect that ursa to show up."

"Eh, it's fine. Jaune handled it pretty well."

"Thanks to Pyrrha. Not that he knows."

"Yeah. They have been getting close, haven't they."

"Yeah, I guess they have."

(Y/N) nodded in agreement, thinking back to what happened on the trip. They did not expect an ursa to attack them in the forest. Thankfully though, it was taken care of by Jaune.

But none of that was their main concern. After all, Jaune got out of his mess with Cardin because of it, so why would they worry about it? He wasn't that hurt from the fight.

Oh no, they were worried about an all more important issue entirely.

They were worried about what to wear for the date.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? I don't feel like this is good enough..."

"Relax dude. Yang isn't the type of person to go overboard on this kind of stuff. You just need to be casual and look good."

Lucas nodded, watching (Y/N) check himself out in the mirror.

(Y/N) was wearing a white button up shirt with dark black jeans, matched only by the black dress shoes and belt. A very simplistic choice that complemented his look greatly. Perfect for what they were about to go to.

"It just feels so... lazy."

Lucas shook his head, placing his hands on (Y/N)'s shoulder for support.

"Stop worrying. Everything will be fine."

(Y/N) looked back to Lucas and smiled, happy that he was here to guide him through the day.

But before any more could be said, the sound of knocking echoed throughout the dorm.

"C-coming!"

(Y/N) panicked immediately, almost rushing to the door to answer. But thankfully, Lucas stopped him just in time, letting the boy calm himself down.

(Y/N) looked back and saw the smile on Lucas' face, happy for the man.

"Last piece of advice, just be yourself. I'll talk to you later."

And with that, Lucas faded into (Y/N)'s soul. Which left (Y/N) by himself, looking down in frustration.

" _ Easier said than done. _ "

But he didn't have time to hate himself. He's going to be with Yang for the night, and he'd be damned if he was going to ruin it.

So, with a quick pace towards his door, (Y/N) grabbed the handle and opened it.

"Yang? Is that yo-"

And with that, (Y/N) froze, taking in the sight ahead of him.

Yang stood in front of the door, smiling at the sight of (Y/N). Like him, she wore a white button up as well, but also a red ribbon at her collar. She had a checker pattern blue skirt and a yellow coat, complementing her hair almost perfectly.

In (Y/N)'s eyes, she was gorgeous.

" _ *whistle* _ Well, you're looking good. I thought I might have gone too much on this date."

At the sound of her voice, (Y/N) shook himself out of his trance. He straightened himself up and forced himself to be much more calm.

"Thanks. You look great too."

Yang smiled, happy that (Y/N) thought she looked nice for their date.

And using that excitement, Yang quickly grabbed onto (Y/N)'s arm, pulling him out of his dorm.

"Well. Shall we?"

(Y/N) looked down, surprised by the sudden action from Yang. But like before, he calmed himself down and grinned while closing the door.

"Yes, we shall."

* * *

The night sky was bright, filled with stars as far as the eye could see. The crescent moon illuminated the city, accompanied greatly by the bright lights around. It was a very busy day that night, and it showed.

Many stores were open at the time, ranging from clothing, to jewelry, to restaurants, and more. Dozens of people flocked around, matched by the smooth jazz that played through the speakers to create a calming environment for everyone.

And there sat Yang and (Y/N), taking a seat outside of a restaurant, their food plated in front of them.

(Y/N) was staring around, shocked by the number of people around him, while Yang just watched, happy to see him enjoying himself.

"You like it?"

(Y/N) snapped his head, realizing he hasn't talked to her at all yet since they got there.

"Huh? Oh, yeah! I've never seen this many people before! Besides Beacon of course..."

Yang giggled in delight, watching the excitement from (Y/N) in front of her eyes.

"I'm glad. I didn't think you've been out much before, so I thought you would like it if I took you."

(Y/N) grinned while talking back, thankful for her generosity towards him.

"Thanks. I was actually very... out of society, so it's nice to see what it's like."

The moment he said that, Yang knew it was her opportunity to pry.

"Really? Did you live in a forest? You were very bored at the trip today."

(Y/N) relaxed into his chair, answering her question.

"Yeah, actually. I lived by myself for most of my life, so I'm not used to seeing this many people."

Yang whistled in impressment, surprised that he was able to live in a forest at such a young age.

"Impressive. Me and Ruby also lived in a forest for most of our lives, but not by ourselves. That must have been hard."

(Y/N) nodded in agreement, looking down as he remembered his struggles.

"Yeah... but hey! I turned out pretty good now, right?"

(Y/N) grinned as he answered, creating a look of joy to spread on Yang's face.

But his thoughts were something completely different.

" _ Yeah right. Turned out good my ass. _ "

Following up his question, (Y/N) changed the topic to Yang's life instead.

"By the way, what was your life like? I never really learned much about it."

Yang moved back, shocked by the sudden interest in her life.

"Oh, my life isn't that interesting. My dad works at Signal Academy and my mom left when I was young. Ruby on the other hand..."

Yang stopped there, looking down in sadness at what she remembered. She hated remembering what happened to Ruby, and she didn't feel like she should be the one to explain that to (Y/N).

But he perfectly understood that. He didn't need to know that it was a sore topic for them.

That didn't mean there weren't other questions, however.

"Really now? Did you have many friends at Signal, or were you more reserved like Ruby?"

Hearing this question, Yang could help but pique up, distracting herself from what just happened.

"Me? Oh, I had loads of friends in Signal! Some of them came to Beacon, actually! But I was never really close with them, so I don't talk to them anymore."

(Y/N) looked back, surprised at the fact that she had some friends go to Beacon with her. But after hearing how they don't talk much, it became less shocking that she never mentioned them.

"Wow! I should have known with how social you are."

Yang giggled in agreement, remembering the amount of people she gathered as friends within Signal. A great difference to how Ruby was, getting only a few close friends with her.

(Y/N) watched in delight, seeing the happiness on Yang's face. This 'date' thing was going great! They were learning about each other, walking around town, eating delicious food...

What could go wrong?

And the moment that thought was made, Karma came hitting like a truck.

Leaving Yang to look down at her food, avoiding eye contact with (Y/N)

She looked down at her food, almost sad at something. It was like she was disappointed with how it turned out or was hurt from something (Y/N) said. She just seemed... depressed.

"Yang? What's wrong?"

Hearing (Y/N) talk, Yang stared down at her food, using her long hair to cover her eyes.

Only to speak one sentence to (Y/N).

" **Meet me at the roof of the dorms. We need to talk.** "

And before (Y/N) could say anything, Yang stood up from her table and stormed out of the restaurant, much to the man's confusion.

It didn't help that afterwards, the entire restaurant stared in concern about what he just did. Something only complemented by the sudden drop of the check, laying right in front of the food they just ate.

This all lead (Y/N) to only one thing.

" _...What the hell did I do? _ "

* * *

Five hours had passed since Yang left, and (Y/N) eventually found his way onto the roof of the dorm. Thankfully, team SLLL made sure he wouldn't be too late for the meeting, whatever it may be.

On the top of the roof stood Yang, glaring at (Y/N) in frustration.

"What took you so long!?"

(Y/N) backed up, apologetic towards what happened.

"Sorry! I get lost easily, you know."

Yang seethed once she heard this, trying to make sure not to distract herself from what she intended to do.

(Y/N), on the other hand, was worried. There were many times that he would see Yang's temper in force. But this was much more than any temper. Much, much more.

What was going on with her? Was everything alright? Did he do something he shouldn't have? Did something happen that he didn't realize? What was he supposed to do?

However, even with all of these questions, (Y/N) asked none of them the moment Yang lowered her head.

Yang wasn't in the best spot either. She didn't want to do this, not on her life. But after being with him for months... acting like he has... she knew she had to do this.

So she took one last breath in, and asked her question.

"Why..."

(Y/N) blinked in surprise, confused by what she just asked.

He stepped closer, hoping to hear better.

"Sorry, what was that?"

And then, wasting no time whatsoever, Yang rushed up to (Y/N) and pulled him up by the collar.

"Why do you keep on lying to us!?"

And like many times before, time stopped.

Lying? He never lied to them, exactly. Only dancing around the truth. But they wouldn't know that... right?

"Wh- What are you ta-"

"Don't give me that bullshit!"

Yang threw (Y/N) back, making him land on the ground, creating a large thump sound as he landed.

(Y/N) looked up to face Yang and saw her fury, a deep anger towards him on how he was acting.

"You think I can't tell how much you fake it!? How whenever you talk with one of us, you completely change to fit us!? That you always avoid talking about your past whenever we ask!?"

Yang glared at (Y/N), tears going down her face as she thought of everything.

"I thought maybe, maybe, us going out would make you stop. That you would actually talk to me and not just act. But seeing how that turned out... I was wrong."

(Y/N) started panicking, hoping to dear god that someone would help him. He didn't know how to respond to something like this, and he didn't know if he could refute a single thing she said. What was he supposed to do?

Desperate for guidance, (Y/N) tried to call out to Lucas within his soul.

" _ Lucas, help me! Please! I need you! _ "

But as he waited for a response, it never came. All that was left was the silence in his soul and the sight of Yang in front of him. No help. Nothing.

He breathed quickly, anxiety filling every bone in his body. He couldn't leave without an answer, and he didn't know how to answer. This perpetual cycle kept him stiff, staring directly at Yang in front of him.

All until he snapped.

"You're not one to fucking talk!"

Yang paused.

Did he just...

Yell at her?

" **What did you just say.** "

Now normally, in scenarios like this, (Y/N) would stop still in his tracks and beg for forgiveness in the fear of his life ending.

But this wasn't a normal scenario.

"You heard what I fucking said! You fake it just as much as I do!"

(Y/N) approached her, no longer having a care in the world. His brain couldn't stop him, and all of his logic was gone at that moment.

All he could do was talk.

"You want to know why I act like I do!? Because I'm scared! I'm scared I might fuck everything up once I start acting like myself! I'm scared I will screw up like I always have! YOU HAPPY!?"

(Y/N) got right in front of Yang's face, glaring into her soul as he screeched everything.

But he didn't stop there.

"And what about you Yang!? You mean to tell me that, as a human being, your only emotions are angry or happy!? Because that's all I ever see you act! You never show how you're really feeling, even if Ruby's involved!"

Yang backed off, not expecting the questioning to be flipped to her. But that didn't help as (Y/N) would always follow her, not leaving any room whatsoever.

"You know, it makes sense you would be pissed off about this. You do the same fucking shit, so you hate it when you see me doing it! Well, news flash Yang; you ain't got much to talk about hiding how you really feel."

...

Silence

There were no words. No movement. No sound.

Just, nothing.

All they could do was stare each other in the eyes, finally seeing how they really are.

And it felt so nice.

"..."

"..."

(Y/N) waited, letting the silence coat over them. Releasing all of that tension, all of that stress, all of that anger was so... refreshing. Like drinking ice cold water during a hot afternoon.

But that didn't excuse what he did. Not one bit.

"...I'm sorry. I didn't mean t-"

Before (Y/N) could even finish the sentence, Yang cut in to make her peace.

"No, I should be the one saying sorry. I shouldn't have done this... It was stupid."

Yang looked down, fully disappointed in herself. Did she really have to do all of this? Why couldn't she just leave him be? Now their friendship was ruined... Just great...

But (Y/N) disagreed greatly.

"Actually, I think this was great."

Yang stopped. What? He thought it was great? How? Because of what she did, they had a major argument and it will always be on their minds when they see each other. Or at least hers. How was this good?

Yang was desperate to know, furrowing her eyebrows as she stepped closer.

"What? How wa-"

And before she could ask, (Y/N) cut her off.

"I mean, can you think of any other way we could say all of this?"

And that's when time froze. Yang was petrified by what he just said. It was such a strange way of interpreting what just happened. That them fighting was a great way to say everything on their heads.

But thinking about it... he was right.

"... Yeah, I guess you're right. But st-"

With excitement in his voice, (Y/N) immediately spoke up. 

"Then how about we make a deal."

Yang stopped, surprised by what he just said. A... deal? For what? And with what? What the hell was he talking about?

Seeing this confusion, (Y/N) wasted no time to continue.

"Any time, on any day, we come up here and do this again. Talk about everything we deal with to help us. Sound good?"

Yang stood still. A time where she could let everything out... A time she could let out her pain... A time where she can be... herself.

The answer was clear.

"Alright... deal."

Finally, after all of that, they found the truth. Although such a small amount, they found a piece of each other's puzzle. They both found someone they could rely on.

And that let true joy emerge from them.

* * *

"So... we'll do this again?"

"Yeah, we'll do this again."

"Great! See yah (Y/N)! Thanks for the date!"

"Bye! It was a blast!"

Watching Yang walk into the dorm, (Y/N) couldn't help but sigh in relief. That was very... tiring. For him, at least. He did not expect to go out like that today. But he did create a better friendship with Yang, so silver lining there.

But that combined with the Jaune and Cardin incident? That's a bit too much, even for him. He's still got to get some rest and get the data from Ozpin, whenever that may be.

So waiting a second for a break, (Y/N) walked back into the dormitory from the roof.

Only to be stopped by the sound of a young man's voice behind him.

"Told you to be yourself."

The moment he finished speaking, (Y/N) snapped his head around to find who it was. But once he realized it was just Lucas, he relaxed himself greatly and looked down in relief.

"Yeah. Thanks."

Lucas giggled in delight, lifting his arms in a resting manner. Watching all of that was interesting, but also tiring for the young man. After all, he was connected to (Y/N) in some sense.

But then, Lucas remembered something.

He promised (Y/N) he would explain why they were similar.

"..."

Lucas looked down in deep thought, going over what he should say in his head.

All of this while (Y/N) squinted in confusion and stepped closer.

"Lucas, are you oka-"

Knowing he couldn't just stay silent, Lucas cut (Y/N) off to explain himself.

"I was born an only child to a single mother."

And then, (Y/N) went silent. He remembered when Shen and Loki did this. Like before, it was mostly sudden, but he wasn't complaining. He always liked to listen to the stories of his other selves.

"My mother was a kind woman... loving, caring, thought of others... but then, she got sick... Badly..."

Lucas looked at the sky, remembering what happened that day.

"When she died, she didn't want me to be sad for her... she wanted me to be happy... so I always smiled through the pain... kept my hopes up in the darkest of moments... and I always tried to connect with others..."

Lucas looked down, giggling as the memory of two siblings came to his mind.

"And when I got older, I went into a prestigious adventuring school... I met two others there and we formed a team, going through many types of challenges..".

But remembering the times with them, Lucas started to remember the times he hated.

"But even though we were together... I would never really change... I would always hide myself with smiles and laughter... No one knew how I really felt..."

And that's when (Y/N)'s eyes met green once more, but they looked softer than ever before.

"That's what I meant by we were more alike than I thought... We both hide the truth of our pain... And we could grow stronger from it, together..."

And there, (Y/N) stood still. Petrified.

When (Y/N) realized that team SLLL was a part of his soul, he always knew that they would represent different parts of him. Shen with his morality and duality, and Loki with his logic and heroism. Even when he saw Liam, he figured he had his fear and his support.

But he never thought this was what Lucas was. He always thought it was his optimism and care that connected them both. He would never predict that it was how they hid their emotions.

And while Lucas could see this going on, he knew it was time for him to leave. He said his peace, and (Y/N) had said his with Yang. 

He was done there.

"Anyway, I'm not here to talk on and on about my backstory. There's still so much you don't know. Like who my father is. And how I'm a masochist."

(Y/N) immediately snapped out of his trance the moment Lucas said the word 'masochist.' 

"I'm sorry, what was th-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Lucas waved his hand while fading back into the soul scape.

"So good night (Y/N)! Get some rest!"

And just like that, Lucas vanished without a trace.

...

Great.

(Y/N) blinked profusely, taking in everything that just happened with Lucas. He didn't expect to end on... that.

But he didn't have time to think about it. Because when he blinked, his eyes got significantly heavier than before.

"...I should probably get going. It's getting late."

So sighing once more, yawning almost right after, (Y/N) turned around to head back into his dorm.

And out of the entire day, (Y/N) didn't notice one single, important thing.

"Ozpin has sent you a message."


	11. Recon

"I can't believe you didn't see the email for an entire month..."

"How was I supposed to know it was sent!? Ozpin didn't tell me!"

"He did tell you! It was the email itself!"

"I didn't even know what an email was for most of my life! And you told me not to open them up anyway!"

"THOSE WERE SPAM EMAILS! NOT ACTUAL ONES!"

"HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT!?"

Loki groaned in frustration, unhappy that his soul was a part of someone as unknowledgeable about electronics as this. Not knowing what spam emails are? They're pretty fucking obvious!

But he wasn't the only one. (Y/N) was also annoyed by himself for not seeing it. He would never think that Ozpin would send him the email on the same day he went on that 'date' with Yang. He was unfocused, and it cost him time.

(Y/N) stared down at the keyboard in disappointment.

"... Look, I'm-"

But before he could finish, Loki quickly cut him off.

"Yeah, yeah... Listen, I'm not that mad at you. I just wish we found the email earlier. Let's just... go read it now."

(Y/N) stared, taking in what Loki just said. But he didn't question it and decided to look back at the email in front of him.

The month went fairly quickly in Beacon. Yang and him got along better, Ruby was the same, only this time getting a lot of help for finals, Weiss would hang out for long periods of time, and every now and then he would discuss with Blake about a new book they read. Compared to when they first arrived, it was very... calming.

But that was only at the actual academy. In his soul scape was a whole different story. Shen would constantly train him in ranged combat, Loki would give him tons of different books to learn from, Lucas would spar with him in hand to hand combat weakly, and Liam... was there. He mostly just watched and helped out whenever he was bored.

But there was one thing they never did.

They would never use their abilities.

Now, they never explicitly told him they had special powers or anything of the sort, but to (Y/N)? It was obvious. Liam would inexplicitly disappear and appear at random places, Lucas said his dad was God every now and then, Loki told him he lived in a world full of superheroes, and Shen was a half angel half devil! They obviously could do more than just kick, punch, and swing a sword around.

But not just that. It was the names. 'Painsexual', 'Bloody Mess', and 'Emo Ghost'. Well, Emo Ghost and Painsexual he could kind of get. But Bloody Mess? What made Loki be called Bloody Mess?

It was like they were hiding their abilities from him.

But why?

"...Hey, Loki. Why are you-"

"Whoa. Now that's interesting."

Hearing Loki say this, (Y/N) immediately turned his head to look at what he just read. What did he see about Anvil?

And looking at the document ahead, he read one thing.

Branch 1: Personnel Weaponry

Branch 2: Aura Weaponry

Branch 3: Grimm Weaponry

Branch 4: Chemical Weaponry

Branch 5: Robotic Weaponry

Branch 6: Biological Weaponry

"...The company is split up?"

Loki nodded his head while staring at the list.

"It seems like it. And not just that, it looks like they have no idea what the others are doing."

(Y/N) turned his head, confused by what Loki just implied.

"What? Why would you think that? Wouldn't it be more likely that there is some sort of CEO or something?"

Loki shook his head while staring at the document, explaining his thought process.

"The document sent to us only has information on the first and fourth branch. That means that Ozpin only had connections with the personnel and chemical weaponry side and nothing else. Knowing Ozpin, he probably had to have connections with people that are in control with those branches, so there has to be multiple people in charge."

(Y/N) stared at the document, processing what Loki just said. Until eventually, he reached the same conclusion.

"And if they are high up in the company, they should have had some knowledge about what's going on in the other branches. But there's nothing. So those people that control the branches don't actually know what the other branches are doing."

Loki nodded his head, continuing with his hypothesis.

"They most likely have a system where people of different branches would investigate the others, but I have no doubt that they all hide the true purpose behind each branch and their actual goals."

(Y/N) agreed completely with what Loki said. Anvil had to have a system to observe the other branches if they were going to allow their creation in the first place. It's idiotic not to.

Scrolling down the document, (Y/N) eventually found himself learning about the history of Anvil.

And what it said shocked him.

"Anvil was created over a thousand years ago!?"

(Y/N) reeled back, dumbfounded by what he just read. Over a thousand years? That's older than the kingdoms themselves! Who would have built a company that long ago!?

But Loki, on the other hand, started thinking about what the age implied.

"... For Anvil to be created over a millennium ago... They had to have a hand in every major event that ever occurred throughout history..."

Loki grinned, impressed by what he was reading.

"And for someone to create a company so long ago... He had to be a natural born genius to come up with something like that... He jump started the progression of humanity and faunus. How interesting..."

However, these comments were heard by deaf ears, as (Y/N) was too focused on the document in front of him.

"It looks like the company was made to protect people from harm. Made by... huh?"

Hearing the confusion in (Y/N)'s voice, Loki looked down.

"Hmm? Something wrong?"

(Y/N) immediately shook his head, staring at the name in front of him.

"No it's just... the creator's name is blacked out."

" Wait. What?" 

Loki snapped his head at the screen, trying to read what (Y/N) just saw.

"Anvil was originally founded by █████ ███"

Both Loki and (Y/N) blinked their eyes, confused on why it would be blacked out. Why would they hide their name? Was he famous or something?

"That's... weird."

"Yeah, no kidding."

But after staring at the text in front of them, Loki eventually shook his head and ignored the blacked out name.

"Whatever. It's not what we should focus on anyway. What we need to do is look at where the supplies are heading to."

"O-oh! Right. Sorry."

(Y/N) scrolled past most of the document, not focusing on any of the advancements the personnel or chemical weaponry branch were working on. What they needed to do is find where the supplies are going so they could follow them.

And eventually, they did find the schedule.

Only to be confused even more.

"Wait, what?"

"...Now that's fascinating."

Staring at the document ahead of them, they saw all of the shipments made from Anvil going to their different facilities.

But what was most interesting was the large amounts of shipments between the grimm branch and the rest.

"Why are they so... connected? The biological branch has sent supplies to the grimm branch four times in the last week! And the robotics branch have been trading supplies constantly with them!"

Loki stared at the document, trying to figure out why they would be connected. What would make the grimm branch so open in comparison to the others? Why would they make so many shipments between the other branches?

Actually... what would the grimm branch even focus on? 

Weapons to kill grimm? Or... 

Weapons made from grimm?

But Loki couldn't dive deep into that. He got cut off from (Y/N) gasping at something he read.

"Shit! I have to go now!"

Immediately after saying those words, (Y/N) jumped out of his seat and rushed to his weapons. He needed to leave as quick as possible, and he had little time for interruptions.

All of this left Loki confused, wondering why he would have to leave now.

Until he read the document again.

"... we can get there in fifteen minutes if we book it."

(Y/N) looked back, nodding at Loki while putting on his cloak.

"Thanks. Do you know the best path?"

Loki shook his head, only to fade in front of his true self.

"I don't, but Liam does. He'll guide you for now. Good luck."

(Y/N) nodded his head, watching Loki disappear in front of him. He had barely any time to waste asking questions.

So, without hesitation, (Y/N) left his dorm in a hurry, hoping to get out of the academy in time.

But he quickly stopped when seeing team RWBY's dorm next to them.

"... Maybe I should give them a note..."

(Y/N) waited, thinking that it would be rude not to tell them if he was gone for too long.

But the thought quickly left him as he rushed out of the dormitorium.

"No, I'll be back before they get there. They should still be at the city, watching the preparations for the Vytal festival. They don't need me."

And without a second left, (Y/N) rushed towards Vale, hoping to find the shipment to the biological branch.

After all, it was leaving in half an hour.

* * *

" _ Jump over that pipe and take a left. _ "

"Got it."

" _ Stay close to the center of the building. _ "

"Got it."

" _ Stop saying 'Got it'. _ "

"..."

Not wanting to argue with Liam, (Y/N) followed his advice to the letter. He may have been good at running while in the forest, but he was no good at parkouring through the city. Not even close.

But apparently, Liam was. He would always give (Y/N) the best path, telling him exactly how to cross each obstacle and get to the truck the fastest. Something that was very helpful while the sun lowered.

It made (Y/N) question Liam's life. At first, he assumed Loki would be the fastest one in the group. At least on land. Loki had extremely honed dexterity and speed, something he noticed from the few spars between him and Lucas.

But Liam was on another level. He made everything sharp while sprinting, going faster than anyone else he's ever seen. It was... incredible.

Only furthering the mystery behind Liam's life.

"...Liam, wha-"

" _ We're here. _ "

Hearing him speak, (Y/N) quickly looked in front of him, trying to spot what Liam saw.

And there he saw it.

A ginormous truck without a logo on it. It was heavily protected by armored plating, keeping everyone out from its contents. A very secure vehicle for transporting important items.

In the driver's seat were two men, both in heavily armored gear. The armor was similar to the one seen by high ranking officers in the army, completely covering their body. A normal weapon would never be able to pierce their armor.

And not slowing down in the slightest, the truck drove through the street, not stopping for anything. Cars would move out of the way and honk at the behemoth, only to be met with the uncaring sound of tires rolling forward. 

Whatever they were carrying was important.

But (Y/N) still needed to get on.

"Shit! How am I supposed to get on that! They're going too fast!"

"..."

Liam stayed silent, watching the situation in front of them. There was no way of catching up with the truck, and if they were ahead, the guards would almost immediately spot them. There was no way of getting on without alerting them.

Except... for one.

" _...Try to head in front of the truck. Also, grab something small. It'll help. _ "

(Y/N) looked back while running, confused by the request Liam just asked. Go in front of the truck? The guards would immediately see them! And why would something small help? It made no sense.

But he didn't have time to argue.

(Y/N) took an immediate left turn, getting help from Liam to predict the vehicle's path. He didn't know why this would work, but he did know that it would be best just to listen first and ask later.

So he dropped down to the ground and started running on the street, hoping to intercept the truck. Many people watched as he ran, confused by the sudden act on the sidewalk, but none questioning it. 

While running on the ground, (Y/N) glanced around for something small to use. He assumed it shouldn't be too small to see, but also small enough it would be easy for one hand. Like a rock or a ball.

And thankfully, before he would intercept the truck, he eventually found a coin.

" _ Perfect. Just what I was hoping for. _ "

(Y/N) furrowed his eyebrows, confused by the sudden declaration from Liam. But he didn't argue for a second. He knew to trust him here, and if a coin is perfect, then a coin is perfect.

So, without a moment's notice, (Y/N) leaned over and grabbed the coin off the ground, holding it in his hand until otherwise.

Eventually, he found his way to the empty road the truck will pass. With only a few minutes to spare, Liam could prepare him.

And that's when Liam told him the plan.

" _ Stand in the middle of the road. _ "

(Y/N) looked back, questioning the choice in his head, but following along anyway.

"Okay..."

Liam nodded his head before looking at his watch, staring at the time. He knew this was their only shot, and he hoped to dear god it worked.

And that's when he told (Y/N) something insane.

" _ When the truck comes, I want you to sprint at it without stopping. Don't hesitate for a second. Then, when the truck gets close, flip the coin as high as you can while dropping down. Finally, immediately after getting on the ground, grab onto the bottom of the truck and hold onto it as close as you can. We only have three minutes. _ "

And at that moment, (Y/N)'s brain stopped functioning. It was too busy to process what Liam just said.

Because... what!?!

"YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT NOW!?!"

Liam stayed staring at his watch, not paying attention to the shock on (Y/N)'s face.

" _ I promise you'll be safe. This is the best way to get on the truck. _ "

(Y/N) stayed still, baffled by what Liam said. How was this safe!? It was potentially the most dangerous solution he could have come up with! And not only that, how would this work?

"Okay then, let's say that this does work. Even if I get on the fucking truck, they would just stop and check if I was alive or not! They won't be that dumb!"

Liam continued to stare at the watch, watching the minute hand move closer and closer to the time they needed to go.

And that's when he said something that (Y/N) would never expect.

" _... You want to know our abilities, right? _ "

(Y/N) stopped.

Liam was going to...

Show him his power?

" _ Do this, and I'll explain it to you. _ "

Before he could reply back, (Y/N) heard the sound of rolling approach him. The booming sound of the vehicle getting closer and closer. And before he knew it, he could see the beast in the distance.

(Y/N) stared at the truck, thinking over everything at once. The danger in front of him, the chance of failure, the opportunity to find his parents, the knowledge of Liam's power... Everything at once came flowing in, trying to force a decision out of his mind.

But it was obvious which one would win.

Because no matter the danger, no matter the chance of failure, no matter what would happen in the next few seconds...

He had to try.

And in less than a second...

He ran.

" _ GODDAMMIT!!! _ "

Not missing a single beat, (Y/N) ran towards the truck at full speed, prepared for the worst in front of him. He had to try this. It was the best option he had.

And from his angle, he could see the faces of the guards in front of them. Both of them stared in shock, not expecting a child to run after them at full force. It was... ridiculous.

The one driving the truck grunted in anger, honking the horn in hopes the teen would move out of the way. But he immediately saw it fail, watching the resolve in (Y/N) stay constant. There was nothing he could do to get him out of the way.

So he didn't. Instead, he pushed the gas pedal harder, hoping to go through the teen, much to the other guard's horror. But that didn't stop (Y/N). On the contrary, it made him run faster.

And rushing at each other, without slowing down for a second, the two were prepared for what was about to come.

" _ NOW! _ "

Hearing the sound of Liam's voice, (Y/N) raised his arm up and flipped the coin high into the air. The two guards watched the coin fly up, confused on what he was planning on doing with it.

And that's just what (Y/N) wanted, dropping down onto the ground at lightning speeds.

As the two guards watched the coin, the truck continued to drive forward, eventually passing over (Y/N)'s body. The perfect time for (Y/N) to grab onto the bottom of the truck, hidden from the guards completely.

(Y/N) held the truck tightly to his chest, closing his eyes while doing so. The entirety of the plan relied on the fact that the guards would continue to the facility without hesitation. It would easily fail the moment the guards checked to see what happened to him.

And so he waited.

Until...

Driver: "...Why am I driving so fast?"

(Y/N)'s eyes popped open, shocked by what he just heard.

Did the guards just...

Forget about him?

And at that moment, he heard something else.

" _ Imperceptibility. _ "

(Y/N) held his breath, shocked by Liam suddenly talking in his mind. But he listened closely to what Liam said.

" _ When I was born, I had the ability to make people forget I exist. All except my family, who passed soon after. If anyone looks away from me, their memory of me disappears, making me a sort of 'living ghost' or 'glass shadow'. _ "

(Y/N) stayed silent, taking in what Liam just said. The ability to make people forget you exist... It sounded amazing in concept, making it so that you could do anything in the world without repercussions.

But it also sounded very lonely. To never have friends remember you... to never be remembered by the ones you love... to basically not exist in the world...

And now it explained one thing.

He never hid his powers.

He was just always using it.

He could probably remember only because of the fact that Liam was a part of him. If they weren't the same person... he could only imagine how it would have been.

But he didn't have time to think about that.

After all, he was so close to the facility now.

And nothing would get in his way.

* * *

Hiding under the truck for over two hours, (Y/N) eventually reached the facility. It wasn't the same one he was from, but it should suffice for his purposes. As long as he could get information, any place was good for him.

The facility was far south from the city, being covered by the forest to hide its location. The closest area to it was the agricultural district, though there was no way of anyone knowing. It was in the perfect spot to hide and gather subjects for the biological branch.

But while riding the truck, (Y/N) couldn't help but wonder what the biological branch was doing with the grimm branch. He knew that his experiments would most likely fall under the biological branch's work, but he didn't have any idea how it could be related with grimm. The first time he ever saw a grimm was when he was kicked out, and he doesn't remember any of the weapons being focused on killing grimm.

Why would mindless soldiers be connected with grimm research? The only way it made sense would be if they used them as test subjects, but it would be just as efficient to get random people to do it for them. There were so few reasons he could think of.

But now wasn't the time for that. He was at the facility, so he needed to get going. Now.

Arriving at the gate, (Y/N) overheard the guards entering through the facility gate. He only had so much time to get off the truck, and he couldn't miss the opportunity.

But looking around the entrance, he couldn't help but stare at the armada in front of him. Dozens of guards covered the entrance, with a few of them near armored vehicles to fight. If he got out now, he was sure he wouldn't be able to survive.

But thankfully, he had help.

" _ Just make sure you aren't in the direct sight of multiple people. It's going to hurt if I use my power with over five guards watching. _ "

" _ Got it. I'll make sure to hide as best as I can. Just make sure to wipe anyone's mind if I mess up. _ "

Liam nodded in approval, scoping the area out as well. He was looking for a good opportunity to drop and leave.

The truck they were on was in a line of vehicles being searched. They had to get off quickly before they were spotted. Problem was, (Y/N) had no idea where to go.

About eight guards surrounded his truck specifically, all of them wearing extremely protective gear. Multiple vehicles drove by, allowing safety for the inspections to go off. Everyone was watching him, and there was no way of getting out.

" _ Dammit. What do I do... I can't get out without at least half a dozen people spotting me... Where do I go... _ "

(Y/N) freaked out within his mind, not knowing what to do in this instance. If he runs out, everyone would see him immediately. If he stayed, when they inspect the vehicles, they would spot him. If he tried to fight, he would be immediately gunned down by the people around him. 

In every case, he would fail.

But thankfully, someone had a plan.

" _ See that pebble on the ground? _ "

Hearing Loki's voice, (Y/N)'s eyes scattered around, searching for whatever he was talking about.

Thankfully, it wasn't hard to find the small pebble next to him.

" _ Put it underneath the tire here. The pressure created will make the pebble fly out, distracting the guards to let you book it pass the inspectors. _ "

(Y/N)'s eyes widened, baffled by the idea Loki came up with. It would be nearly impossible to time everything at once with something as small as a pebble. And not only that, you would have to be incredible to get the accuracy down on the first try.

But if it worked, then it worked. It was the best chance he got.

So, he waited...

The truck drove closer to the inspection, letting the guards watch as it approached.

He waited...

At the inspection station, the inspectors came closer to the truck in a stoic manner.

He waited...

And right before the truck came to a complete stop, he placed the pebble underneath the tire and dropped off of the truck.

_ THOOM _

_ CLANG _

In a split second, the pebble skyrocketed from the tire to the next truck over. It made a booming sound, making everyone wonder what it was.

Exactly what (Y/N) wanted.

Not wasting a moment, (Y/N) rolled out of the truck and sprinted towards the next one, hoping no one would see. He constantly checked to see if anyone was watching him, but thankfully, no one was.

(Y/N) slid on the ground, grabbing the underside of the truck in front of him. He held it tightly to his chest and waited until he could get to the facility doors. His arms trembled in both fear and anticipation from what just happened, so relieved it worked and so nervous that it didn't.

But it only took (Y/N) a second to realize the deafening silence around him.

It worked like a charm.

" _ Thanks Loki. You're the best. _ "

Loki chuckled in (Y/N)'s soul, joyful that he was happy for his help.

" _ No problem. Not the first time I tried to sneak into a heavily guarded place. _ "

Not expecting that in the slightest, (Y/N) paused for a second to process what Loki just said.

Did he just...

Whatever. He didn't have time to ask.

He was finally at the facility. He didn't have any more time to waste.

* * *

The facility was just like the one he used to be at. Empty halls aligned with metal doors, hiding whatever was inside. It was both nostalgic and terrifying. He never thought he would see this again.

(Y/N) hid along the walls, avoiding the cameras' gazes at all points. Liam could make people forget, but not electronics. If he was spotted by the cameras even once, his entire operation would be over.

But thankfully, he didn't need to take long to get through the facility. He may have been bad at directions outside, but in here? He could know where he was even if he's blindfolded.

So in a matter of minutes, he was able to avoid all guards within his vicinity, hide from every camera, and quickly arrive to an empty laboratory. The scientists were out, experimenting new test subjects at the moment. The perfect time for (Y/N) to snoop around.

But as he walked, he watched the subjects stay in their chambers, unable to do anything. He wanted to help the others, desperately so, but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't... He was too scared to go out and fight for them...

But if he couldn't do that, he had to do something within here. So the best thing to do?

Steal as much as he could.

(Y/N) rushed over to a computer, allowing Loki to take control so he could find what they were looking for. Any files on his parents, experiments, interactions with the grimm branch; everything.

(Y/N) watched Loki's hands roam throughout the keyboard, letting him move at lightning pace to what they were looking for. It reminded him of when he got a scam email, and how Loki was able to take back the money they stole and pranked the scammers themselves.

He had to buy so much confetti...

But while remembering his first encounter with the internet, (Y/N) missed what Loki was doing and only saw what he found.

A list of all of the employees in the biological branch.

"Holy shit... How were yo-"

"It was actually very easy to find this. Once you have something connected to the system, you have control over everything also connected."

(Y/N) couldn't believe his ears, but realized he should have expected this sort of thing from Loki. He was always the one with the most skills in his soul, knowing basically anything he needed to do at any point. It was so very shocking for him.

Loki didn't really care though. He was too focused on searching for the file on (Y/N)'s parents. Anything else was just background noise to him.

The problem was finding the right file. (Y/N) had no idea what his last name was, and he had no idea what his parents looked like. They would have to search through each file at a time, guessing which one was his without any hint on who it co-

"Found it."

(Y/N) reeled back in shock, never expecting Loki to find the file so easily.

"What!? How!"

Loki looked back at his counterpart, baffled by how (Y/N) was confused with his search.

"They were the ones with the same last name?..."

And at that moment, (Y/N)'s mind crashed. He couldn't believe himself! How could he forget that! It was the most obvious solution to the problem! There was literally nothing easier!

"...right..."

(Y/N) looked down in embarrassment, shaming himself for missing such an obvious answer.

But he found his parents! Finally! He could finally find them, a give them justice for what they did to him! The several years behind those uncaring walls, being used as a lab rat for their own purpose. Being forced to watch the other kids be tortured in horror. The constant voices telling him how much of a failure he was. Th-

"Oh..."

Hearing Loki speak, (Y/N)'s attention immediately came back, wondering what was wrong.

"What? What happened? Why did you go 'Oh...'?"

Loki looked down, covering his eyes with his hair in a dark atmosphere.

He pointed towards the screen, allowing (Y/N)'s eyes to follow.

Until...

"...They..."

"They died..."

"They died... to a random beowolf..."

And as fast as his determination was created, it shattered into a million pieces.

All of this time... His entire purpose for coming here... To find his parents and make them pay for what they did to him... To finally look them in the eye and see what kind of people they truly were...

And they just died on him?

In such a simple way too!?

"..."

(Y/N) was silent. Still. He didn't know what to think. For all of this time to be wasted like this...

He couldn't believe it...

It wasn't right...

He needed to find them...

He NEEDED to go after them...

HE NEEDED TO MAKE THEM PAY!

But he couldn't.

They were already dead.

And watching the unmoving screen in front of him, (Y/N) couldn't notice the four gazes staring at him in worry.

"(Y/N)..."

Shen put his hand on (Y/N)'s shoulder, trying to reach out to him from the empty abyss he was in.

But it wouldn't work...

Team SLLL could only look in sadness, hating the fact it had to be like this. They never liked how (Y/N) was driven for revenge against his parents, but they all trusted him either way. They had to support him through this. They trusted he would do the right thing when the time came.

And it made it all the more sadder when it failed.

(Y/N) took a second to think, reliving every thought in his head. The constant trauma... The fear... The hatred... The uselessness...

But also, the others.

The other subjects pain. Their abuse. Their experimentation, their constant use, the permanent damage, the kidnapping, the hurt they caused...

And like that, he remembered.

He remembered that no matter what, he always tried to be...

A hero.

And nothing would stop him.

"...Loki, is the download done?"

Hearing (Y/N) speak up, all of team SLLL pulled back in shock. He was talking again? Already? What was he thinking about?

But in a split second, they all realized it. They all knew the feeling when one of them becomes the hero.

And they all grinned greatly at the sight.

"It should be done in thirty seconds. We leaving already?"

(Y/N) stood up from the computer, adjusting himself and shaking his head while doing so.

"Not yet. I need to get prepared."

At that moment, all of team SLLL furrowed their eyebrows. Each of them were confused on what he would be preparing for. What else were they supposed to do here?

"Prepared? We have everything we need. What would we need to prepare for?"

Hearing the sound of Lucas's voice, (Y/N) couldn't help but grin in anticipation.

There was no way they would expect this.

"Well, what else would we prepare for."

Looking back at the computer, (Y/N) watched as the task bar filled up to one hundred percent, turning off the computer in the process.

And, in a fraction of a second, he unleashed the flaming swords on his waist.

"After all, we still need to get those kids out of here."


End file.
